A’ja Wilson wrapped-up a historic 2025 season with another major honor, being named the Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year for the first time in her career.
The Las Vegas Aces star, who secured her fourth WNBA MVP and led the franchise to its third championship in four seasons, used the moment to address criticism and reaffirm her team’s ambitions.
“The way they talk about us, the way they talk about me, I'm ready for that, I'm ready for the noise,” Wilson said, as reported by Doug Feinberg of the Associated Press. “It's always going to be something. If we sit here and try to please everybody, we're going to go insane. I'm just going to continue to prove why I'm one of the greatest and why my team is part of a dynamic dynasty.”
Wilson became only the fifth basketball player to win the AP award since 1931, joining Sheryl Swoopes, Rebecca Lobo, Candace Parker and Caitlin Clark. She earned 17 votes from a panel of 47 sports journalists, ahead of Aryna Sabalenka and Paige Bueckers. Aces coach Becky Hammon praised Wilson’s career trajectory, calling her “in a category all her own” and highlighting her combination of skill, humility and leadership.
“Her relatability, her being down to earth makes her a great superstar,” Hammon said. “Her skill set is unmatched, but she's also the easiest player to coach. To have that mixture of humility, grace and skill, there's a reason why she's doing things that have never been done.”
The 2025 season tested Las Vegas more than its prior title runs. After a midseason slump left the Aces at .500 and reeling from a 53-point loss, Wilson guided the team to 16 straight wins to secure the No. 2 seed. She finished the regular season leading the league in scoring at 23.4 points per game and added 2.3 blocks per contest.
Wilson elevated again in the postseason, helping Las Vegas win multiple elimination games and hitting the decisive shot in the Finals sweep of Phoenix. She became the first player in WNBA or NBA history to win MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, Finals MVP and lead the league in scoring in the same season.
Off the court, Wilson continued expanding her impact, including launching a sold-out Nike shoe line.
