Las Vegas Aces All-Star A'ja Wilson is the favorite to win the WNBA's MVP award. Wilson, averaging 27.2 points, 12.0 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks per game, leads all other MVP candidates with the shortest odds (-5000) in BetMGM's recent post.
Connecticut Sun forward Alyssa Thomas (+8000) and New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (+8000) are trailing Wilson with the same odds, per BetMGM.
If A'ja Wilson takes home MVP this season, she will join legends Sheryl Swoopes, Lisa Leslie, and Lauren Jackson as the only players to have won the award three times. In 2023, Wilson earned her second consecutive Defensive Player of the Year and her second-straight Defensive Player of the Year award.
Many believe she could win Most Improved Player after improving in at least four statistical categories. In contrast to last season's 22.8 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game, she's boosted her season averages in many ways, which hasn't gone unnoticed by at least one of her teammates.
“Even with all the pressure that she has, she just keeps showing up,” said Aces guard and Olympic teammate Jackie Young, per Sports Illustrated's Emma Baccellieri. “She continues to get better every year, and it's so hard to get better at this level, but she does. It just shows the type of person that she is.”
A'ja Wilson guides Team USA to gold in 2024 Olympics
Wilson guided Team USA to gold in the 2024 Olympics. Averaging 18.7 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks per game in Paris, she won the Olympics MVP award as Team USA won its eighth straight gold medal.
This was highlighted by signature performances against Nigeria in an 88-74 victory in the Olympics' quarterfinal round and France in the gold medal game. Wilson lit up the floor with a game-high 20 points on 9-for-11 shooting against Nigeria before finishing with 21 points, 13 rebounds, and four blocks against France.
Many believe her dominance is bound to carry back to the States with the Aces, as it has helped shorten her odds of winning MVP. Wilson talked about Team USA's dynastic run in international play after narrowly beating France 67-66 in the gold medal game,
“It's amazing. It truly is a dynasty that we have built here at USAB has been incredible,” Wilson said, per Pointspreads.com “And I am so proud of the resilience that my team showed. We could have fumbled it many times, but we pulled through. To say I am a two-time gold medalist, I am so blessed.”
The Aces (16-8), fifth in the WNBA standings, can crack the league's upper echelon of teams when the regular-season resumes against the New York Liberty this Saturday.
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