Hours After Getting MVP Snubbed, A’ja Wilson Sets Unrealistic Standards for WNBA With Historic Record

The 2023 WNBA MVP announcement is an event that many basketball aficionados and athletes alike have been looking forward to. With A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart and Alyssa Thomas being frontrunners for the coveted award, it was all the WNBA world could talk about over the past few weeks. Well, apart from the WNBA finals, of course. While many had anticipated that A’ja Wilson would bag the award and become the WNBA MVP for the second consecutive time, it was Breanna Stewart who received the honor of being the 2023 WNBA MVP.

Meanwhile, hours following A’ja Wilson’s snub, the 2022 WNBA champion went on to set unrealistic standards for the WNBA with a historic record.

A’ja Wilson sets a new WNBA record

The Las Vegas Aces defeated the Dallas Wings 91-84 in a thrilling Game 2 matchup to advance in their quest for a second straight WNBA championship. With this victory, the Aces have taken a decisive 2-0 lead in the WNBA semifinals and are now only one win away from earning a coveted trip to the WNBA Finals.

The Aces jumped out to a quick lead in the opening quarter, 26-18, to establish their dominance. Together, A’ja Wilson and Chelsea Gray scored 30 points in the first half, showcasing their tremendous scoring prowess. Just before halftime, Wilson executed an incredible coast-to-coast and-1 play that caused the Las Vegas crowd to roar.

However, the Dallas Wings staged a comeback in the third quarter, fighting back to tie the game at 49-49. After a critical 21-8 run in response, the Aces led 70-57 entering the fourth quarter. However, refusing to give up, the Wings put together an incredible 9-0 run in the fourth quarter to cut the lead to 73-68. With only 1:36 remaining, they took advantage of rapid Aces possessions to reduce the deficit to 85-81.

With the pressure at its peak, WNBA MVP contender A’ja Wilson stepped up for the Aces.

A’ja Wilson stepped up and sealed the victory with two critical free throws, increasing the score to 89-81 with just 39.6 seconds left.

With her outstanding effort, Wilson became the first WNBA player in playoff history to record three straight games with 30 or more points. A record-breaking performance, she scored 102 points in the last three games. She set a new WNBA record with her 102 points accumulated throughout the final three games.

Wilson, despite finishing third-place finish in the MVP run didn’t let it dissuade her from pursuing the ultimate goal of winning another WNBA championship.

A’ja Wilson opens up about her MVP loss

Following her historic record, A’ja Wilson talked to the media and also touched upon her MVP loss.

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She told the media, “I mean it is what it is. I can’t control that …it is what it is. And I mean yeah, I gave myself a couple of hours but at the end of the day we got something bigger that we got to go after, and I can’t pay that any mind. And we really came out and we straddled together. We’re not torn, and we went after it.”?

However,?Aces coach Becky Hammon wasn’t having it. Hammon told LVSportsBiz, ?She?s humble. A?ja?s not going to say it, but I will. I was heated last night when I got word. A?ja got robbed and there?s no other way to put it.??

The Aces coach continued, ?She?s the best two-way player in the league, and I love what Brianna Stewart and Alycia Thomas bring to the game, (but) to look at what she did this season and have her finish third in the MVP voting is absolutely ridiculous.?

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