A'ja Wilson wins record fifth WNBA MVP and first three in a row

A'ja Wilson has won the WNBA's Most Valuable Player award for a record fifth time, becoming the first player to claim the honour in three consecutive seasons. The league announced the Las Vegas Aces star's selection on October 8, adding another milestone to a career that already includes three championships.

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According to the WNBA's official announcement, Wilson received 65 of 74 first-place votes and nine second-place votes from sportswriters and broadcasters, finishing with 713 points. Minnesota Lynx rookie Olivia Miles was runner-up with 442 points. Indiana Fever guards Kelsey Mitchell and Caitlin Clark placed third and fourth, ahead of New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart.

Wilson's earlier MVP awards came in 2020, 2022, 2024 and 2025. The latest result extends her own league record while establishing a new consecutive-winning mark. The announcement recognises her regular-season performance, with Las Vegas still involved in a playoff series that could end its championship defence.

Field Level Media reported that the 30-year-old averaged 26.2 points, 9.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.9 blocks and 1.4 steals across 41 games. She led the league in scoring average for a third successive season. Her 13 games with at least 30 points matched the WNBA single-season record she set in 2025.

BBC Sport reported that Wilson learned of the award through a voice message from former US vice-president Kamala Harris and became emotional when receiving it on the Aces' practice court. She described how her achievements had gone beyond what she had imagined as a teenager, even when setting ambitious goals for herself.

Despite the occasion, Wilson said she would not take part in Friday's pre-game MVP ceremony, preferring to warm up with her teammates. According to BBC Sport, Las Vegas lost its opening semi-final game after last year's MVP presentation and also suffered a heavy defeat following its championship-ring celebrations in May.

The Aces trail the Golden State Valkyries 2-0 in their best-of-five semi-final, leaving them facing elimination in Game 3. Wilson's individual award is secured, but Las Vegas must win to extend its postseason after claiming three league titles in the previous four years.