A’ja Wilson stands alone with record fifth WNBA MVP award after historic three-peat

A’ja Wilson celebrates after hitting a three-pointer during the Las Vegas Aces’ 101-91 win over the Seattle Storm in June. Photograph: Ethan Miller/Getty ImagesView image in fullscreenA’ja Wilson celebrates after hitting a three-pointer during the Las Vegas Aces’ 101-91 win over the Seattle Storm in June. Photograph: Ethan Miller/Getty ImagesA’ja Wilson stands alone with record fifth WNBA MVP award after historic three-peatAces star wins record fifth WNBA MVP award

Wilson becomes first player to win three straight

Olivia Miles finishes second in MVP voting

A’ja Wilson was named the WNBA’s most valuable player on Thursday for a third consecutive year and a record fifth time overall, further cementing her place among the greatest players in basketball history.

Wilson became the first player in the league’s 30-year history to win the award three years running, having also claimed the honor in 2020 and 2022. Cynthia Cooper, who won in 1997 and 1998, is the only other player to have won consecutive MVP awards.

The 30-year-old once again led the league in scoring, averaging 26.2 points per game while shooting 52.7% from the field. She also averaged 9.4 rebounds, a career-high 3.2 assists, 1.9 blocks and 1.4 steals across 41 games.

Wilson’s scoring average was the second-highest in WNBA history, trailing only her own record of 26.9 points per game set in 2024. She also led the league in blocks for the fifth consecutive season and finished with a league-best efficiency rating of 30.4.

The 6ft 4in center-forward continued to expand her offensive repertoire, shooting a career-best 40.4% from three-point range while making a personal-high 38 three-pointers. Her career scoring average of 22.1 points per game is now the highest in league history.

Wilson scored at least 30 points in 13 games, tying the single-season record she established last year, and recorded 33 games of at least 20 points. She also led the league with 19 double-doubles featuring at least 20 points and 10 rebounds.

Her season included a 45-point performance against Connecticut on 15 May, making her the first player in WNBA history with multiple games of at least 45 points. She climbed from 21st to 11th on the league’s all-time scoring list and now stands just 12 points from overtaking Sue Bird for 10th.

Wilson has helped the defending champion Las Vegas Aces reach the WNBA semi-finals for the eighth consecutive season after finishing the regular season with a 31-13 record. But their pursuit of a fourth championship in five years is in jeopardy, with the third-seeded Aces trailing Golden State 2-0 in their best-of-five series. Las Vegas will host Game 3 on Friday night, needing a victory to keep their season alive.

Wilson received 65 of 74 first-place votes and nine second-place votes for 713 points from a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. Minnesota rookie Olivia Miles finished second with 442 points and six first-place votes, followed by Indiana guards Kelsey Mitchell (287 points) and Caitlin Clark (212). New York’s Breanna Stewart rounded out the top five with 171 points.

No other WNBA player has won more than three MVP awards, with Sheryl Swoopes, Lisa Leslie and Lauren Jackson each claiming the honor three times. In the NBA, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar holds the record with six MVP awards, while Michael Jordan and Bill Russell each won five.