Just a couple of days ago, ESPN surprised with a report that fueled speculation about A’ja Wilson’s decision on the remaining spot in the Unrivaled 3×3 league. “A’ja just honestly likes to rest her body; she doesn’t want to play year-round,” the report read. While this wasn’t a direct quote from Wilson, her own thoughts, recently revealed, align rather well. But it seems to have sparked controversy on another matter instead of clarity.

The 2024 Paris Olympics gold medalist, taking a break during her offseason, teamed up with the Roommates Show. Though she did not comment on the Unrivaled spot, she shed light on the grueling schedule she endured in 2024, that keeps her from considering another league for the off-season.

“Yeah, for sure,” she started when asked if the ‘WNBA Players have the hardest schedule of any athletes’. She illustrated her point through an example of a rookie class’ adjustment period. “I literally did training camp, and I came back to college just to walk, to graduate. And then I had to go play my first preseason game,” she added.

With the college basketball completing in March/April and the WNBA season beginning in May, the athletes don’t find much time for transition. It is a sentiment Caitlin Clark shared earlier this year, coming off the 2024 championship game on April 7th and starting with the pre-season just a month in. Even before, it was experienced by Wilson, Jackie Young, and numerous more as Wilson points out. “It’s insane. So yeah, I would have to say our schedule is pretty crazy.” 

But it wasn’t just the rookie season. The 2024 MVP went on to admit how hard a year it was to navigate through 5 months while being on the Olympic team, especially with half the Las Vegas Aces roster on Team USA. They could not rest and rotate like other teams did. “I’m surprised we did what we did this year because it was just a lot of stuff going on—and the stuff is the Olympics,” Wilson shared.

Wilson, known for her durability since being drafted, has rarely missed games except for injury-related absences. Even this season, she just missed 2 games. So while Wilson had her reasons to call this season or the rookie a gruelling run, tougher than most leagues, fans did not all seem to be on board.

The reactions were polarizing to A’ja Wilson’s belief

The comment section quickly filled with criticism. Some debated her perspective, while others outright dismissed her claims. “Fully delusional,” penned one X (formerly Twitter) user. For fans, Wilson’s comments weren’t enough to prove that W’s got tougher schedule than other leagues.

“NBA—82 games. WNBA—40 games. What?” another added, highlighting that the WNBA plays nearly half the NBA’s schedule spread across 6 months of a regular season. 48 minutes each. Leaving out the post-season, it is 4 to 5 months for the W each year.

“They literally play only four months in a year,” hence another chimed in. This stems from limited playing arenas and scheduling conflicts with other events. A notorious example was when the Connecticut Sun had to finish a practice on half a court because their usual facility was shared with a local community event.

However, defenders pointed out the nuances of Wilson’s statement — the WNBA’s schedule includes minimal rest periods, frequent back-to-back games, and extensive travel.

One supporter wrote, “She highlighted the intense demands of the league, from the physical toll of the game to the travel and quick turnarounds between matches.”

But it’s not just about WNBA players. Fans pointed out how it was more about the transition process as Wilson mentioned. “The video appears to be about the rookie transition. If that’s the case, it’s definitely the hardest because they play nearly a year straight,” added one user.

The preseason games may act as practice sessions but are still competitive and tiring. The regular season quickly follows with 40 games, and based on their records and rankings, teams advance to the playoffs to finish the season by October. And that’s how the year ends for rookies who will have begun their last season of college basketball back in October the previous year.

So, do you agree with A’ja Wilson’s take on the WNBA’s tough schedule? Share your thoughts below!