Another day, another A'ja Wilson masterpiece. The Aces supernova has strung together perhaps the most impressive statistical season in league history in 2024, reaffirming her status as the W's best player and proving that last year's third-place MVP finish was a mere aberration.
Wilson's performances have been a breath of fresh air for an aging Las Vegas side that finds itself well off of the championship pace it showed off en route to league titles in 2022 and 2023. She pocketed another impressive showing on Sunday afternoon, flexing her might against a weary Phoenix squad. In the process, Wilson might have sewed up her third career MVP, too.
With that, here's a look at Wilson's historic day at the office in the Valley of the Sun.
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A'ja Wilson stats today vs. Mercury
Wilson racked up 41 points, 17 rebounds, two assists, two steals, and one block in 34 minutes of work against the Mercury. It was just the sort of all-around display we've come to expect from Wilson, not only one of the sport's greatest offensive producers but also a defensive anchor who's garnered two Defensive Player of the Year awards.
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The South Carolina product was wondrous, crafting space and time for herself even as Phoenix's defense attempted to blot her influence. With defenders swarming, Wilson was composed, shrugging off her markers before slaloming to cup. When she got there, she was fairly efficient. Wilson sank 16 of her 23 shot attempts on Sunday. All but two of them came from inside the arc.
Wilson showed off every element of her game in her toolkit, from long-range shooting — she made two three-pointers — to rebounding. Even her block total, fairly pedestrian compared to her usual 2.7 per contest, doesn't reflect the way her mere presence dissuaded Phoenix attackers from working their way to the basket.
Sunday's outburst of scoring and rebounding excellence represented yet another Wilson entry into the gleaming history of WNBA ball. Her 41-point, 17-rebound exhibition is the second 40-point, 15-rebound game since the league's inception in 1996. The only player to match such a total? None other than her famous former teammate, Candace Parker.
Wilson's been on a tear as of late, recording averages of 36.3 points, 13.0 rebounds, and 3.0 rebounds on 66.1 percent shooting over the past three games. Sunday wasn't even her first 40-point outing of the past seven days; Wilson dropped 42 in the Aces' loss to Dallas on Aug. 27.
All told, Wilson's been a marvel for the whole of the campaign, her eighth as a professional. She's the likeliest candidate for MVP with eight games left. Frankly, it shouldn't be all that close.
There are plenty of question marks regarding Las Vegas' prospects during the 2024 WNBA playoffs. Wilson isn't one of them, and as long as she keeps producing at a historic clip, the Aces have a chance at glory.
A'ja Wilson stats 2024
Wilson leads the league in scoring, blocks, and win shares.
You can find her 2024 stats below.
| Games Played | 32 |
| MPG | 34.3 |
| PPG | 27.5 |
| RPG | 12.0 |
| ORPG | 2.3 |
| DRPG | 9.7* |
| APG | 2.4 |
| SPG | 1.9 |
| BPG | 2.7* |
| TOV | 1.3 |
| FG% | 52.6 |
| 3P% | 34.6 |
| FT% | 85.8 |
*Indicates league leader