Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade stirred up the sports world this week with a hot take: A’ja Wilson, three-time WNBA MVP and Las Vegas Aces star, could beat some NBA players one-on-one. Now that's a huge statement to make, especially as a former NBA player himself.
Wade dropped that line during an episode of the Underground Lounge podcast, via BasketNews, agreeing when asked whether a top WNBA player might hold her own against male counterparts. He didn’t pick names, but he pointed directly at Wilson.
“If you get into a 1-on-1 with someone like A’ja Wilson, who knows how to play basketball … that’s got crazy footwork and all that, you’re gonna get tore up if you don’t know the game,” Wade said.
It’s the kind of comment built to provoke conversation. And it did. People are already weighing Wilson’s dominance in the WNBA against the sheer athleticism and size advantage many NBA players enjoy. But Wade’s point isn’t that Wilson is better than every NBA player. He thinks her skill set is legit enough that, in the right matchup, she can take on some of them.
Wilson’s résumé backs up why Wade has faith. She’s won MVP multiple times, been a scoring leader, pulled down boards, and shown an ability to impact both ends of the floor in big moments. Her inside-outside game, footwork, and high basketball IQ are what Wade seems to gravitate to when making his case.
Critics will certainly point out that the physical gap between top NBA players and even WNBA stars remains significant in terms of height, strength, vertical burst, speed, etc. But this debate isn’t new. What makes Wade’s voice carry weight is his championship pedigree and long career watching and analyzing talent at various levels. He’s earned the right to stir the pot.
At the end of the day, this isn’t about settling who’s “better.” It’s about respect, respecting what Wilson has built and acknowledging that in basketball, skill, intelligence, and experience can sometimes bridge expected physical gaps. Wade’s take forces fans to re-examine assumptions about gender, stats, and what a one-on-one really means.
If nothing else, Wilson just got another reminder that her game is being noticed by fans, analysts, and legends.
