A Historic Fifth MVP and First Three-Peat
A'ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces has been named the WNBA's Most Valuable Player for a record fifth time, the league announced Thursday. The award makes her the first player in WNBA history to win three consecutive MVP honors. It is her fourth MVP in the past five seasons. Wilson received all but nine of the first-place votes, with Minnesota Lynx rookie Olivia Miles finishing second with six first-place votes, Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell third with two, and Mitchell's teammate Caitlin Clark fourth with the remaining first-place vote.[S1][S2][S3][S4][S5][S6][S7][S8]
Wilson's statistical dominance this season was clear: her 26.2 points per game led the WNBA, and her 79 blocks were also a league high. She ranked among the top five in rebounds per game. Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese led the league with 12.1 rebounds per game and was named the 2026 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year. While Wilson may not have had her most statistically impressive season, she remained a dominant force across all facets of the game.[S1]
Reaction and Historical Context
Aces head coach Becky Hammon praised Wilson's achievements, saying that Wilson should be taken off Mount Rushmore and placed on Everest, and then taken off Everest and put on a different planet because she has it all. Hammon also noted that talent alone does not guarantee sustained success, pointing out that a player can be very talented and skilled but not win as much as Wilson has or become as individually great. Wilson herself said at a news conference in Las Vegas on Thursday that setting a standard and etching yourself into history books means a lot, and that it is fun to set the standard and give people and yourself something to chase after.[S1]
Wilson's fifth MVP breaks a tie with Hall of Famers Sheryl Swoopes, Lisa Leslie, and Lauren Jackson, who each won multiple MVP awards and largely traded the honor between 2000 and 2010, winning every MVP except in 2008 when Candace Parker claimed it and 2009 when Diana Taurasi won. In NBA history, only Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Michael Jordan have won at least five MVP awards. Wilson now stands among that select group of legendary basketball players.[S1]
Playoff Challenge Ahead
Wilson's latest challenge is guiding the Aces through unprecedented territory. They would have to become the first team in WNBA history to erase a 2-0 deficit against the Golden State Valkyries and win a best-of-five playoff series. If Wilson leads the comeback, it would further cement her place in basketball lore. Game 3 is scheduled for Friday night as the series shifts to Las Vegas.[S1]
