“She didn’t really have a choice. I told her she’s sitting out… It wasn’t a very big fight,” Aces HC Hammon said about resting A’ja Wilson on Sunday. For the 2x MVP, the game was within reach, but the Aces wanted her to take a breather ahead of the Playoffs. During Friday night’s game against the Connecticut Sun, she tweaked her right ankle, which led her to walk in a protective boot while heading into the arena for the game against the New York Liberty. But was this the first time she missed a game in over 5 years?

“A’ja hasn’t missed a game in half a decade. That’s ludicrous. Smart decision by Vegas to rest her today, and as always, A’ja is the GOAT because wtf!?” penned a user on X. As the fan stated, the Las Vegas Aces last played without Wilson on August 3, 2019. It was a similar incident as now that had forced her to sit out for a few weeks five years ago.

On July 20, 2019, the Aces’ center collided with the opposing team’s Liz Cambage before collapsing. Visibly shaken from the collision, Wilson was helped off the court. Later, it was confirmed that she had endured an ankle injury and would not be playing for the rest of the night. In the next game she attended, she was seen walking in a boot with crutches.

Averaging 16.5 points with 6.4 rebounds at that time, it wasn’t easy for the Aces to remove her. After staying out for weeks, Wilson finally made her highly anticipated comeback on August 6 against the Washington Mystics. After that, the South Carolina Gamecocks icon didn’t miss a game till today.

She played all 30 games in the shortened 2020 season as she claimed her first MVP award and led the Aces to the Finals. Next season as well, Wilson suited up for all 32 regular season games and 5 Playoff games. She then won her 2nd MVP title in 2022 after playing every game yet again, leading Las Vegas to the franchise’s first championship. Wilson repeated the feat in 2023, playing every game and leading the team to another title. However, she’s now entangled in a similar situation with a similar injury as she was half decade back.

Aces face an uphill battle without A’ja Wilson as Liberty ends winning streak

The WNBA’s leading scorer has endured a right ankle injury, and her status for the upcoming game against the Indiana Fever is not confirmed yet. “We’ll see her status going into Indiana and how she feels. There’s never a good time for this. She does get a couple of days to get that ankle right and get a little bit of rest,” added Hammon.

This simply means Wilson is resting a bit. The Aces, on the other hand, are struggling on the court without her. Despite having a strong roster, the team couldn’t overcome the Breanna Stewart-led New York Liberty on Sunday. Kelsey Plum & Co. were handed a 71-75 loss, marking the end of their four-game winning streak.

Despite having clinched a playoff spot, a third consecutive championship won’t be a smooth sail, especially when the Liberty, No. 1 in the rankings, stand 3-0 against the Aces this season. To make it possible, the Aces need their leading scorer the most. “It’s very precautionary, and we’re taking it very slow with her,” revealed Hammon. What do you think? Will Wilson be back with the same energy she left with?