On July 7th, for the first time, Arike Ogunbowale witnessed a win over A’ja Wilson. In what may have been the aggression from her USA snub, Ogunbowale did not let Wilson dominate the court until the scoreboard read a 117-109 win for the All-Star team. It was the third opportunity for the Wings’ standout, after losing the first two matchups against Wilson, to prove her worth. They clashed once again tonight, and though a team win for Ogunbowale, it was an opportunity for Aces star Wilson.

Coming off a 2-0 record against the Dallas Wings, the Aces collided with the Wings on their home court on August 27th. Despite being on the advantageous side, Wilson sought redemption. The leading scorer in the WNBA did what she does best, scoring inside the paint. Her gameplay was so impressive that even the Dallas crowd shifted to her side.

“A’ja Wilson is receiving MVP chants here in Arlington during the Aces and Wings game,” relayed a post on X.

It seems viewers were completely captivated by the Aces’ star. And why not? By the end of the third quarter, she was leading both the Aces and the Wings in scoring. Her staggering 32 points were more than double those of the second-leading scorer on her team, Jackie Young. But still, her thirst remained unquenched.

By the end of the fourth quarter, Wilson reigned dominant with a 42-point performance, still more than double of Young, as well as Ogunbowale, who was limited to 20. The home team may have taken the win 93-90, but the Aces’ star won the crowd, all while making her case as a front runner in her quest to claim the 2024 WNBA Most Valuable Player of the Year.

Though, it won’t be easy.

A’ja Wilson’s MVP bid

So far, A’ja Wilson has set a new WNBA record with most 25+ points and 10+ rebounds, leads the league in scoring, and follows close in rebounds. She even improved her case by helping Team USA secure their eighth consecutive gold medal at the Olympics. In fact, she was named the Olympic tournament MVP, ranking second in both scoring and rebounds.

However, the WNBA MVP title isn’t without some competition. Caitlin Clark also finds herself in the conversation with her triple-double and the record in assists. In her last game versus the Dream, she remained a dominant force despite overcoming an early injury. She finished with 19 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists.

The highlight was her 4-for-9 from beyond the arc on the night which led her to tie the record for most 3-pointers by a rookie in the WNBA -85. However, facing each other, the Aces icon takes the win 2-0. The two face each other two more times this season and Wilson is already favored. Can Clark surpass or will Wilson make it to WNBA MVP?