A’Ja Wilson reminds everyone why she’s the best player in the world

For much of this season, it felt like the Las Vegas Aces were sleepwalking. The two-time defending champions stumbled out of the gates to start the season, unable to string together consistent wins, looking far from the juggernaut that had terrorized the WNBA over the past two summers. Critics circled, doubt crept in, and whispers of a dynasty unraveling began to surface.

Through it all, A’Ja Wilson stayed steady.

And now, as the Aces have rattled off nine straight victories, Wilson has reminded the league – and the world – exactly who she is.

Over this scorching run, Wilson has been nothing short of historic. She delivered the first 30-point, 20-rebound stat line in WNBA history, a testament to her sheer dominance on both ends of the floor. She’s scored 30 or more points in four of the nine games, imposing her will offensively while anchoring Las Vegas’ defense. The Aces, once floating outside the upper tier of the standings, are suddenly right back in the thick of the playoff picture, now sitting at the No. 3 seed.

This surge hasn’t just been about winning games. It has been about reasserting Wilson’s place at the top of the basketball hierarchy.

A reminder of greatness

When Las Vegas was losing early, it almost felt like people forgot. Wilson – a three-time WNBA MVP, two-time WNBA champion, two-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, and Olympic gold medalist – was suddenly viewed as secondary in conversations about the best player in the world. Napheesa Collier and the league-best Minnesota Lynx drew the spotlight. Breanna Stewart, fresh off her title run in New York, remained a constant measuring stick. And with the Aces vulnerable, Wilson’s brilliance was easier to overlook.

Even NBA 2K leaned into the narrative, releasing ratings that had Wilson just behind Collier. No disrespect to Collier – who has been phenomenal this year and is very much an MVP frontrunner – but Wilson’s case isn’t about who’s having the better season. It’s about who holds the crown when everything is on the line. And time and time again, Wilson has proven that the crown still belongs to her.

What makes Wilson the best in the world isn’t just her numbers – though they are staggering. It’s that at 6-foot-5, she can do everything a modern superstar needs to do. She can dominate inside with post-ups and rolls to the rim. She can step out and knock down jumpers. She can attack off the bounce like a guard. She rebounds relentlessly, blocks shots as the anchor of the defense, and even facilitates for her teammates when defenses send multiple bodies her way.

Few players in the history of the league have ever possessed this kind of versatility. And fewer still have been able to pair it with the consistency Wilson brings every single night.

Carrying the weight of expectations

What makes Wilson’s current stretch even more impressive is the context. The Aces were vulnerable – and in the WNBA, that’s rare for them. Their early-season struggles had many questioning if the dynasty window was closing. Was the roster too top-heavy? Was the wear-and-tear of consecutive title runs finally showing?

Instead of folding under the weight of those questions, Wilson absorbed them and responded with one of the best stretches of her career. She didn’t just save the Aces’ season – she reminded everyone that Las Vegas’ championship pedigree begins and ends with her.

That’s the definition of the best player in the world.

Wilson’s greatness extends beyond the box score. It’s the way her presence warps defenses, the way her intensity raises the level of her teammates, the way opponents know they have to prepare for her every second she’s on the court.

In a league where talent has never been deeper, where stars are emerging left and right, Wilson still feels like the constant. She’s the player you trust when the stakes are highest, the one you’d bet on in a must-win game.

That’s why her recent tear carries so much weight. It’s not just domination for domination’s sake. It’s a reminder: this is still A’Ja Wilson’s league. Everyone else is just trying to catch her.

Respecting the competition, claiming the throne

None of this is to diminish what Collier and the Lynx have accomplished. Minnesota’s resurgence has been one of the best stories in the league, and Collier has been spectacular. She may very well win MVP this season.

But the title of “best player in the world” doesn’t always align perfectly with MVP voting. Sometimes, it’s about more than a single year’s worth of stats. It’s about sustained dominance, the ability to elevate your team when everything is against you, and the proof that when it matters most, no one else can match your impact.

Wilson has proven it in championships. She’s proven it with her defense, her scoring, her rebounding. And now, with her back against the wall earlier this season, she’s proven it once again by dragging her team back into contention.

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As the Aces continue to climb, the spotlight is returning to Wilson. The doubters have quieted. The conversations are shifting. And the league is being forced to reckon with the fact that, even in a year where other stars are shining, A’Ja Wilson still stands tallest.

She doesn’t just want to win games – Wilson wants to remind everyone who she is: the heartbeat of a dynasty, the cornerstone of her franchise, and the player who, no matter what happens this season, has earned the right to be called the best in the world.