Rivalries have been the cornerstone of sports ever since competition found its way into human society. While US sports have had many great rivalries like the ones between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees there has never been a larger rivalry in humankind than the one between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. The two soccer greats have been battling it out at the top for over a decade and show no signs of stopping as they both enter their late 30s. Although Ronaldo chose to leave Europe for the glamour of Saudi Arbia, his rival on the other hand made the journey across the Atlantic giving Americans a glimpse of his talent in the MLS.

With both men entering their prime many fans have started to look for other rivalries to hold onto and the WNBA seems to be offering just that. Stars Sabrina Ionescu and A’ja Wilson have been forming a budding rivalry these past few seasons and look to make an impact similar to the soccer greats as the New York Liberty look to upset the Aces this season. Ionescu also made an honest admission about the 2x WNBA MVP recently as she opened up about her rival during an interview.

Sabrina Ionescu candidly gives her thoughts on her rival A’ja Wilson

During a special edition of the podcast, The Old Man and the Three, host JJ Reddick took his show on the road as he recorded his podcast during Sabrina Ionescu’s signature shoe launch with Nike. A momentous occasion, the podcast cum interview was an insightful session with the duo discussing many topics including Ionescu’s budding rivalry with A’ja Wilson.

The New York Liberty guard was in full praise of her “amazing” rival as she spoke of Wilson’s dominance on the court. Explaining how the 2x MVP was dominant on “both sides of the court,” Ionescu stated, “Every time you play A’ja and Vegas you know what you’re going to get. You are going to get someone that comes in and brings so much energy.”

Continuing to speak highly of her rival the 3-point shooting queen then praised the power forward’s defensive acumen before admitting that Aja’s influence “has made them better.”

Sabrina continued to lay praise on Wilson before jokingly stating, “She’s great and hopefully we can continue to win though.”

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Interestingly, experiencing a Ronaldo-and-Messi-like rivalry between them Sabrina Ionescu and A’ja Wilson share many similarities with the soccer greats including the 2-year age difference between the two.

Sabrina Ionescu and A’ja Wilson’s budding rivalry

While Wilson boasts the better record and resume today, one cannot overlook Ionescu’s talent as the 25-year-old continues to perform extraordinarily in the league. Not only has Ionescu proved her greatness after breaking an NBA record in the 3-point contest, but the guard also continues to lead the league in many statistics including most three points made.

Although Ionescu and the New York Liberty are quite the team together they haven’t yet reached the level of A’ja and the Las Vegas Aces. Not only are the Aces the defending champion but their stalwart is also the WNBA MVP. They have dominated the league in recent years and look to take the WNBA crown once more as they enter the playoffs with the best record in the league.

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Will A’ja and the Aces win the WNBA in back-to-back years or can Ionescu and the Liberty stop them in their tracks? Let us know in the comments below!