Twitter loses it after seeing Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson clinch WNBA MVP after winning DPOY and a heated WNBA Semifinals series over the Seattle Storm.
There is nothing quite like seeing the Las Vegas Aces raise the stakes with each and every game, their latest being a gripping overtime win over the Seattle Storm.
And there is nothing like seeing Aces star A’ja Wilson win the second WNBA MVP of her career.
Another battle that the Aces won over the Storm — Wilson was in contention with Storm forward Breanna Stewart — had A’ja in tears and her teammates chanting “MVP!”
“Shots on A’ja!” Chelsea Gray shouted, a double entendre calling for necessary libations after Wilson broke several Aces and WNBA records.
But the celebration wasn’t limited to the Aces locker room. WNBA Twitter came together to celebrate Wilson, with Bleacher Report commemorating her WNBA award sweep with an illustration honoring Wilson’s unbelievable season.
“DPOY and MVP in the same season. Tough,” Bleacher Report tweeted before listing Wilson’s impeccable resume. “All at 26 years old.”
WNBA journalist Mark Schindler had the privilege of asking Wilson how she’s grown since her last MVP nod in 2020.
Twitter showers Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson with deserved praise after second WNBA MVP win
Although Wilson easily played an MVP-caliber season, some remained unsure that she would win the award after winning Defensive Player of the Year. But her dominance this year and her contributions to her skyrocketing Aces team made her case for being the league’s most valuable player.
News organizations joined the WNBA in featuring commemorative graphics to honor Wilson’s incomparable 2022 season.
Klutch Sports Group, which represents the superstar, commended Wilson for her hard work this season.
Individuals also celebrated Wilson for her accolades, including her beloved South Carolina Gamecocks basketball coach, Dawn Staley.
Wilson had her own glowing praise for Coach Staley when she spoke with FanSided about her iconic Ruffles partnership.
“The [Gamecocks] program changed me just to be a player, but an even better woman. I think Coach Staley really dug down deep and dug into my life and family and knowing how to be in the community and constantly putting yourself out there just so people can know that they can fully achieve their dreams if they put their mind to it.”
Some WNBA fans took the time to thank Wilson and Stewart for giving WNBA fans so much to root for all year and into the playoffs.
When Wilson spoke with FanSided before clinching MVP and DPOY, her gracious answer indicated that deciding MVP wasn’t up to her — she was just doing all that she could to win it.
“I think that’s just something that comes to mind when it comes to whoever is voting in what they feel like is best. I think we all bring something different to our team and to the table.
But at the end of the day, you know, I can only control what I can control, and I’m gonna go out there and be just the best teammate that I can be and provide for my team in whichever way they need night in and night out. No matter what goes on, I’m gonna always be me. I could care less about what people may say or how they try to change me or put me out there. At the end of the day, you get what you get, and I love what I do, and I’m never going to stop. I’m going to continue to grow and build and have fun within myself and also my team.”
Yet Wilson was more candid about who would win in a one-on-one versus Stewart: A’ja, of course.
“It’s gonna be a good one, but I just…you know what? The competitor in me, I gotta win. It’s gonna definitely be fun to see. I don’t know if we will be able to play it after all that we played throughout the season, but it would definitely be cool. For that, I don’t know if we should look into something like our league, but definitely probably a league to come.”
Perhaps WNBA fans are still waiting on that one-on-one matchup, but seeing A’ja Wilson play all but four minutes during the Aces-Storm series and win MVP is more than enough for fans of the South Carolina legend.