A'ja Wilson: 4-Time MVP Still Chasing 'Better Than Last Year
WNBA superstar A'ja Wilson has collected three championship rings, four MVP awards, and countless accolades—but her biggest goal remains beating her own previous season. The Las Vegas Aces center says she's "just a normal girl" who happens to be rewriting basketball history.
A'ja Wilson keeps raising the bar, and the person she's competing against is herself.
The 6'4" Las Vegas Aces center has already claimed four league MVP awards, three championship rings, and five All-WNBA First Team selections in just nine seasons. But when asked about her goals, Wilson keeps it simple: be better than she was last year.
"The main goal is to be better than I was last year, so it gives me a chance to really strive for big things every single year," Wilson told Women's Health at WNBA All-Star weekend in Chicago. That mindset has made her one of the most dominant forces in basketball today.
People often call her a living legend and the GOAT (Greatest of All Time), labels that still catch Wilson off guard. "I'm always shook, because I never would've imagined me even being in that conversation," she says. "So when people say that, it's blessed."
Wilson's perspective on the game has matured too. She used to think basketball fundamentally changed as players advanced through different levels. Now she sees it differently: "I don't think it changes. People just get a little bit more talented, but it's still the same game that we've all been playing since we were children."
Why This Inspires
One lesson took Wilson years to learn: rest matters as much as reps. The three-time Defensive Player of the Year now prioritizes recovery and sleep, calling herself "elite" and "top-tier" at napping. She's learned to run her race at her own pace.
Wilson recently partnered with Panini America for exclusive trading cards, some featuring pieces of her game-worn jerseys. The collectibles excite her, but she hopes fans remember something beyond her stats. "I hope that they understand that I was a real human being," she says. "I love what I do, and I love the people that I do it with."
Despite the fame and hardware, Wilson's self-description remains unchanged: "just a normal girl."
Her rookie self would be "pleased and proud" of where she is today, and if her track record shows anything, next year's version will be even better.
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Based on reporting by Womens Health
This story was written by BrightWire based on verified news reports.
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