Subscribe
Follow Us
The Las Vegas Aces made a bold statement before their opening game against the New York Liberty on Sunday, wearing A’ja Wilson jerseys in support of their teammate, who finished second in the WNBA Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) voting. The gesture, led by teammate Tiffany Hayes, was a show of solidarity after many felt Wilson deserved the award for a third consecutive season.
She’s our leader, she’s always doing stuff for us, she’s always taking care of us, so it just came to mind,” Hayes said, as reported by Doug Feinberg of the Associated Press. “Why can’t we do something for her that’s really fun and really representative of our team?”
Wilson, the reigning two-time DPOY and this season’s unanimous WNBA MVP, had another standout defensive year, averaging 2.6 blocks and 1.8 steals per game. Despite her strong numbers, Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier won the DPOY award, receiving 36 of the 67 votes, while Wilson finished second with 26 votes.
Collier’s impressive sixth season in the WNBA saw her play and start in all 34 games. She ranked second in the league in steals per game (1.91, tying her career best). She also finished fourth in defensive rebounds per game (7.5) and seventh in blocked shots per game (1.41), both career-highs. Her eight steals against the Los Angeles Sparks on June 14 marked the highest single-game total in the WNBA this season, per the league. Along with her six-steal performance against Seattle on May 17, she was the only player to record two games with six or more steals.
Aces coach says to look at the ‘analytics' behind DPOY
Meanwhile, Aces head coach Becky Hammon voiced her opinion over Wilson’s exclusion from the award, praising her player’s impact on both ends of the floor.
“If you have to go down the rabbit hole of analytics to put somebody in the same conversation, I think you have your answer to the question,” Las Vegas coach Becky Hammon said of Wilson not winning. “(Collier) is a great defensive player and I’m not saying that. I’m just saying A’ja, if you watch the games, her blocks and the way she protects the rim. They’re dominant physically like a dunk in men’s basketball.”
In addition to the Wilson jerseys, the team also sported custom pants designed by Hayes, who is a candidate for the WNBA’s Sixth Woman of the Year award.
Despite the supportive gesture, the Aces struggled in the opener, losing 87-77 to the Liberty. The team will look to regroup on Tuesday as they continue their playoff series.
