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Amid all the social media hullabaloo surrounding the likes of Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, the undisputed best player in the WNBA, A'ja Wilson, continues to cement her place at the top of the totem pole. On Tuesday night, despite the Las Vegas Aces' 93-90 loss to the Dallas Wings, Wilson had her way with the opposition, scoring 42 points on 16-22 shooting from the field. And in the process of doing so, she caught the eye of Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James.
Posting on his official X account, the Lakers star expressed his awe over how Wilson dominated proceedings on Tuesday night.
“Lil sis going crazy right now!!!! @_ajawilson22 😤😤💪🏾,” James wrote.
LeBron James has long been a fan of A'ja Wilson; as the old adage goes, game recognizes game, and the Lakers star definitely knows that Wilson has a case for being named as the most talented woman to ever hold a basketball in the history of the sport. James also reacted with awe after Wilson, in the Aces' previous game against the Chicago Sky, nailed a game-winning layup at the buzzer.
What makes A'ja Wilson such a marvel to watch is that she's not just a layup merchant. There is nothing wrong with dominating in the paint, make no mistake about it, but her offensive versatility makes her the most unstoppable player in the WNBA. Her ballhandling has improved a lot to the point that she is initiating screening actions as the ballhandler, and she makes a killing in the midrange as well to get the Aces two points before the defense could even collapse on her.
In addition to her offensive versatility, she is also the best rim protector in the league — making her the cream of the crop among her peers on both ends of the court. Perhaps LeBron James has a greater soft spot for her game since Wilson's playstyle is eerily similar to that of his Lakers running mate Anthony Davis.
However, Wilson's efforts on Tuesday were in vain as they were unable to hold off the Wings who came back with a spirited effort in the final frame. The Aces' first opportunity to bounce back from this defeat will come on Friday when they take on the Atlanta Dream.
A'ja Wilson, Aces' quest for a three-peat is not going too swimmingly
In 2022 and 2023, the Aces had the best record in the WNBA. (Two years ago, they were tied with the Sky.) They were hungry; after all, they lost the 2020 WNBA Finals in a convincing sweep by the Seattle Storm, and then in 2021, they lost a heartbreaking Game 5 to the Phoenix Mercury in the semifinals.
Thus, those Las Vegas teams were on a mission — to get over the hump. And get over the hump, they did. They won both the 2022 and 2023 WNBA championships, with A'ja Wilson playing a starring role. Heading into 2024, the Aces looked like the favorite to win it all again since they were bringing back the core that brought them two championships.
However, following their loss to the now 8-22 Wings on Tuesday night, the Aces have fallen to fifth place in the WNBA standings with their 18-12 record. It has been a rough go for the team with four Olympians. But perhaps they could flip the switch soon and become just the first team in WNBA history since the Houston Comets to win at least three championships in a row.
