A’ja Wilson has won not just records but also hearts this season. Certainly, missing the 2023 WNBA MVP trophy only motivated her to amp up her game this year. And now that the Aces have made it to the playoffs, the first step towards winning their third Championship title, the WNBA legend Lisa Leslie has some advice for the 2x WNBA MVP that can help improve her performance.

Leslie was present in a chat with Kelley O’Hara on Thursday when she spoke at length about the 28-year-old’s exceptional skills and the one department where she could get better.

“The idea of being professional but also having this stage in this moment makes you want to get better. And I really applaud A’ja for not just winning the Championship and then kind of sitting and resting and win a Championship and she could be off you know vacationing but she’s back in the gym and she’s getting better and better. And then you think what she can add to her game,” mentioned the WNBA icon.

The Columbia-born’s averages have increased from the previous season. Currently, Wilson has 26.9 points per game with 11.9 rebounds per game and 2.6 blocks per game. In all three categories, the W’s double-double stalwart has been at the zenith of her potential since she joined the W in 2018.

Wilson is clearly on an offensive rampage this year. She recently also surpassed Jewell Loyd’s tally for most single-season points with 1021 points to her current credit. Consequently, she became the first W star to have registered more than 1000 points in a single season.

“Her shot blocking is gone up, her rebounding’s gone up, her assists have gone up like I don’t know there’s another category that she really could improve on maybe just three-point shot attempts shooting more threes maybe but she’s really been so versatile and so dominant like there’s really not a player out there that can stop her,” Leslie stated.

Wilson has also compensated for an average performance from one of her teammates – Chelsea Gray and looks hopeful of bagging the title for the third consecutive time this year. With a 0.667 PCT, the Las Vegas-based team has qualified for the playoffs and if things get going can win the Championship with Wilson fulfilling her dream of bagging the MVP for a third time.

However, one department that all will agree Wilson lacks is her three-pointer skills. She has only attempted 60 three-pointers this season playing in 38 games, which might haunt the Aces if they are contained from making layups. Hence, according to Leslie, Wilson should concentrate on giving her best.

Becky Hammon talks about the missing thing as A’ja Wilson compensates

Coming into this season, the Aces initially didn’t have Gray. By mid-June, the Becky Hammon-coached team had already lost as many games as they were defeated in during the previous year in the regular season (6). Therefore, when Hammon was asked about the main issue for the team, she didn’t shy away from accepting that they “don’t have an edge and we have not had it since Day 1 in training camp.” But that was before Wilson stepped up.

Apart from her offensive game, the South Carolina native has the second-highest rebounding average with 11.9 boards per game. She is also placed in the top five on the steals average with 1.8 steals per game. Therefore, relying on her offensive and defensive skills, the Aces have literally aced it from that point onwards.

Hopefully, Wilson will take things in her stride and concentrate on her three-pointer skills. Or maybe now that the Aces head into the playoffs with just one game remaining, it’s already too late? Still, we have already seen her shoot from the deep more this season than she previously had, only adding another feather to her already studded crown.