Photo: Aces’ A’ja Wilson Wins 2024 WNBA MVP Award; 2nd Unanimous Winner in History
Joseph Zucker@@JosephZuckerFeatured Columnist IVSeptember 22, 2024
David Becker/NBAE via Getty Images
The Las Vegas Aces star was crowned the WNBA’s MVP for the third time, and ESPN’s Michael Voepel reported she received all 67 first-place votes. Cynthia Cooper in 1997 is the only other player to be the unanimous MVP.
WNBA @WNBAA’ja + M’VP š
It just goes together. Redefining the game, one play at a time. Congrats, A’ja Wilson!
26.9 PPG | 11.9 RPG | 2.3 APG | 1.8 SPG | 2.6 BPG pic.twitter.com/YYoAqTWuq3
WNBA @WNBAYOUR 2024 UNANIMOUS #KIAMVP š
After a HISTORIC season, A’ja Wilson gets her hardware ahead of the Aces Round 1 playoff game!@Kia | #WNBAPlayoffs presented by @Google pic.twitter.com/RBprx5gFBe
James Boyd @RomeovilleKidJust in from the #WNBA:
Aces superstar A’ja Wilson is the unanimous league MVP, marking her third MVP overall.#IndianaFever rookie Caitlin Clark finishes fourth in MVP voting.
List:
ā¢ A’ja Wilson
ā¢ Napheesa Collier
ā¢ Breanna Stewart
ā¢ Caitlin Clark
ā¢ Alyssa Thomas pic.twitter.com/K7ogpv7csh
The Aces released a video of Wilson getting the call to learn she won the MVP award around her teammates:
Las Vegas Aces @LVAcesThe moment āØ
“I cannot thank you all enough. I hope you guys understand how much you mean to me. I hope you guys know that this trophy is nothing without y’all. We’ve been through the ringer ā and we gon’ continue to go through the ringer ā but one thing y’all don’t ever haveā¦ pic.twitter.com/NOnm0BP4yr
The Minnesota Lynx’s Napheesa Collier was the runner-up and received 66 second-place votes. Breanna Stewart of the New York Liberty got the lone remaining vote for second and came in a distant third. The Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark and Connecticut Sun’s Alyssa Thomas rounded out the top five.
As the year unfolded, it became abundantly clear that Wilson would be named the MVP despite the Aces failing to match their regular-season performances over the last few years. The drama largely surrounded whether another player would even garner a first-place vote.
Wilson put together one of the single best seasons in league history. She led the WNBA in points (26.9) and blocks (2.6) and her 11.9 rebounds per game trailed only Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese. She did claim Reese’s short-lived record for most rebounds in a season (451).
The 6’4” forward was metronomic in her consistency as well. She scored 20-plus points in all but four of her 38 appearances.
Wilson’s ability to influence games on both ends of the floor is unmatched right now, and she is already putting herself on a trajectory to be considered one of the greatest WNBA players ever.
The 28-year-old would probably classify the campaign as a disappointment if the Aces don’t pull off a three-peat. They open the playoffs Sunday in a best-of-three series with the Seattle Storm.
Regardless of what Las Vegas does, however, nobody should lose sight of what its best player achieved in 2024.
