Aces’ Wilson named the 2020 WNBA MVP
HOPKINS, S.C. (BVM) — Former Heathwood Hall Episcopal hooper and University of South Carolina women’s basketball star A’ja Wilson has officially arrived at the next level. After being drafted No. 1 overall in the 2018 WNBA draft, Wilson has gone on to be a two-time all-star, and can now add WNBA MVP to her resume.
In a season hosted by the Bradenton, Fla. bubble, Wilson was awarded MVP after she averaged 20.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks and 1.23 steals a night while leading her team to a WNBA-best 18-4 mark.
The WNBA superstar has been asserting her dominance since her rookie season. The drafting of Wilson marked the beginning of a new era for the Nevada-based franchise, who relocated to Las Vegas after formerly being known as San Antonio Stars from 2014-2017. The team now known as the Aces also hired former NBA all-star Bill Laimbeer as their head coach and president of basketball operations.
With a reputable mentor in Laimbeer and a vast array of skills, Wilson propelled the Aces to the 2019 playoffs in just her second season, their first appearance since the 2014 year. They lost to the eventual WNBA champion Washington Mystics in the conference finals, but Wilson came back stronger this year. After losing all-star Liz Cambage and role player Kelsey Plum, the Aces weren’t expected to be as competitive as they have been, but Wilson put the team on her back.
However, it wasn’t always sunshine and rainbows for the 6-foot-4-inch ball player. During her freshman season at USC, under legendary coach Dawn Staley, Wilson was benched. For being the former No. 1 recruit in the country, she didn’t live up to expectations in her first game.
She finished two of seven from the field, with three turnovers in just 16 minutes of action.
Staley’s idea was to have her come off the bench, relieving some of the pressures that come with being so highly sought after. Surprisingly, Wilson accepted her role and was able to flourish after becoming more adjusted to the college game. By her senior year, Wilson averaged 22.6 points per game and 11.8 rebounds per game.
She never looked back.
She left the Gamecocks as the all-time women’s leading scorer, an NCAA champion, and a three-time first-team All-American. She kicked off her professional career by winning Rookie of the Year. During the 2018-19 offseason, the Aces top player signed with the Shaanxi Red Wolves of the Women’s Chinese Basketball Association to continue working on her game.
“This is what she does,” Staley told reporters. “That’s A’ja Wilson. She’s worked on her game. She’s wanted this. She’s a franchise player. She’s a program changer, and when you put the ball in her hands, she is going to be efficient with it.”
But Wilson’s story is just getting started. At just 24-years-old, the newest WNBA MVP has so much more she wants to accomplish, and winning a conference championship is one of those things. Right now, her Aces trail the Connecticut Sun 0-1 in the semifinals. But expect Wilson to go off the remainder of the series. She does not want this year to be a repeat of last.
“I think we needed to get beat. They worked 10 times harder than we did, and we needed that slap in the face,” Wilson said in her postgame presser. “We have to go back to the drawing board and see what we did wrong, what we can improve on, and go from there. The best thing about this loss is there’s a lot of things we can control, and that’s what we’re going to do.”
