A'ja Wilson makes WNBA history with fifth MVP award

A'ja Wilson has become the first player in WNBA history to win five Most Valuable Player awards, extending her record with a third consecutive honour. BBC Sport reported that the 30-year-old Las Vegas Aces star received 65 of the 74 first-place votes, adding another individual milestone to a career that also includes three league championships.

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Wilson led the WNBA in scoring for the third season in succession, averaging 26.2 points. She scored at least 30 points in 13 games, matching her own single-season league record, and recorded at least 20 points in 33 games. The eight-time All-Star's latest award follows earlier MVP victories in 2020 and 2022, alongside her current run of three straight wins.

No other WNBA player has collected more than three MVP awards. Wilson's total also puts her alongside Michael Jordan and Bill Russell, who each won the NBA's equivalent honour five times. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar won six. Aces coach Becky Hammon responded to the achievement by describing Wilson as having moved beyond even the highest comparisons she had previously used for her player.

According to the BBC report, former US vice-president Kamala Harris delivered the news in a voice message. Wilson became emotional when receiving the award on the Aces' practice court. Reflecting on her younger self, she explained that becoming a five-time MVP and three-time champion had gone beyond what she imagined as a teenager, even as she wrote down ambitious goals.

Wilson nevertheless intends to sit out the ceremony planned in her honour on Friday night, opting to warm up with her team instead. The Aces lost the opening game of last year's play-off semi-final after a pre-game celebration of her MVP award. They also suffered a heavy defeat after their championship-ring celebrations in May, experiences Wilson cited in explaining her decision not to take part.

The immediate team challenge is a third semi-final game against the Golden State Valkyries. Las Vegas trails 2-0 in the best-of-five series and needs a victory to avoid elimination. The Aces have won three championships in the past four years, but Wilson made clear that preparing with her teammates, rather than celebrating her individual award, remains her priority.