“But when it comes to taking accountability, I have no problem with that because I want to be great. I want to be great for my teammates.” This is what A’ja Wilson had said earlier following a defeat against New York Liberty. Her words reflect the grit and determination she brings as a leader, always striving for excellence. Sadly, despite her efforts, the season didn’t end the way she had hoped, with the Liberty eliminating the Aces by winning the semifinal series 3-1.

Recently, A’ja Wilson was honored as the Unanimous MVP of the season, receiving all 67 votes from the panel. This recognition filled the Aces’ locker room with pride and boosted their confidence as they entered the postseason, rallying around their MVP. They swept the Seattle Storm in the first round, but when it came to the New York Liberty, the challenge proved too great, leading to their elimination. Unfortunately, this defeat has etched Wilson’s name into an unexpected piece of history.

Aces’ elimination brings A’ja Wilson a misfortune: Does that overshadow her iconic season?

With Liberty eliminating the Sin City franchise from the playoffs, A’ja Wilson has become the first player in both the NBA and WNBA to be named a Unanimous MVP without her team reaching the championship game. Despite scoring an impressive 83 points over the four games in the semifinal series, she couldn’t stop her name from being recorded in this infamous chapter of basketball history.

However, this bittersweet end cannot overshadow Wilson’s excellence. After all, she made her mark as only the third player ever to receive all first-place votes for the MVP award, a testament to her consistent performance throughout the season. Prior to Wilson, the last player to achieve this feat was Cynthia Cooper in the WNBA’s inaugural season, a record that stood for an impressive 27 years. Even the NBA has seen this milestone only once when Stephen Curry secured unanimous MVP honors during the 2015-16 season.

Legendary names like Shaquille O’Neal and LeBron James have come tantalizingly close to achieving this feat, each falling just one vote short. Yet, A’ja Wilson, at 28 years old, accomplished this remarkable achievement—and she did it in style. This MVP title marked the third of her career, coming in her seventh season since she debuted in 2018. Well, looking back on her season, it’s clear that she deserved this more than anyone.

A’ja Wilson’s excellent season is enough to prove her worth

Last year, the announcement of the MVP award disappointed A’ja Wilson. Losing the title would have been one thing, but what stung even more was receiving a fourth-place vote in the MVP race. Given that she had already received the MVP title twice, this outcome surprised many and left her heartbroken. Well, true to her gritty attitude, Wilson had decided to prove her true worth this season.

The season kicked off with a thrilling matchup between the Aces and the Phoenix Mercury, and A’ja Wilson made an unforgettable statement right from the start. She dominated the court, racking up an impressive 30 points, grabbing 13 rebounds, dishing out 5 assists, and blocking three shots. It was clear from that first game that fans were in for a memorable season from Wilson.

After just three games, a remarkable trend took shape that would last for nearly 20 days. During this stretch, Wilson played eight games, consistently scoring over 25 points each time. It all kicked off with a solid 29-point performance against the Fever and wrapped up with an impressive 32 points against the Mercury. Notably, this impressive streak included three games where she scored over 30 points.

By that point in the season, her teammate Kelsey Plum had already made it clear: A’ja Wilson was the standout choice for MVP. And as it turned out, the best was still ahead. After returning from her Olympic triumph with Team USA, Wilson’s game reached new heights. In the latter half of the season, she put on an incredible show, delivering two performances with over 40 points each, alternating those explosive games with a solid 26-point outing in between.

Wilson was already receiving accolades from both WNBA legends and NBA superstars, including LeBron James. But she wasn’t done yet; there was another record waiting to be broken that would further bolster her MVP candidacy. With just one game left in the regular season, Wilson made WNBA history by becoming the first player to score 1,000 points in a single season, surpassing the previous record of 939 points set by Jewell Loyd.

It seemed Wilson wasn’t finished breaking records just yet. In her final regular season game against the Storm, she showcased her relentless pursuit of greatness by grabbing seven rebounds, which not only secured her position at the top of the league in rebounds but also allowed her to surpass rookie Angel Reese’s single-season rebound record.

Therefore, when we look at the bigger picture, it’s clear that not reaching the Finals doesn’t define A’ja Wilson’s season. Her remarkable consistency was a driving force that helped the Aces secure a playoff spot, especially considering the challenges they faced early on.

A’ja Wilson: The catalyst behind the Aces’ playoff push

Without the 3x MVP’s stellar performance, it’s hard to imagine the Aces would have made it as far as they did this year. Throughout the year, the team struggled to find its full rhythm, a sentiment recently echoed by teammate Kelsey Plum. “I don’t think we’ve had one of those games that we’ve all been clicking at the same time offensively and defensively through four quarters.”

The defending champions had a tough start this season, which was a stark contrast to their previous year when they finished at the top with only six losses. This time around, they found themselves struggling, already facing eight defeats in just 14 games. By the time the first half of the league wrapped up, they found themselves sitting in fifth place in the standings.

After the Olympic break, the Aces returned to the court with a renewed focus, but much of the credit for their turnaround goes to A’ja Wilson. She stepped up her game and delivered clutch performances that were pivotal for the team. Thanks to Wilson’s record-breaking efforts, the Aces secured 11 victories in 16 games during the second half of the season. This impressive run enabled them to qualify for the playoffs, finishing among the top four-seeded teams in the standings.

Though the playoffs didn’t culminate in a championship, Wilson’s unwavering commitment and stellar performances defined her legacy, proving her greatness on and off the court.