feature-image

Imago

feature-image

Imago

Last season, the Las Vegas Aces were nearly unstoppable, riding a five-game winning streak and making their championship run look easy. But 2025? It hasn’t exactly started the same way. For a team accustomed to leading the pack, a 3-2 record and a No. 5 spot in the standings is far from ideal — especially for the reigning back-to-back WNBA champions. But after a gritty win over the LA Sparks, it feels like the Aces are finally finding their rhythm, and A’ja Wilson is making sure everyone knows it.

Watch What’s Trending Now!

This momentum shift comes after the Aces suffered a tough loss to a familiar foe—the Seattle Storm, the very team they swept 2-0 in the first round of last year’s playoffs. But this time, things were different. When the Aces stepped into Climate Pledge Arena, it was Seattle who delivered the statement win, cruising to a dominant 102-82 victory. Now, as the Aces prepare for a rematch on June 2, they’re hungrier than ever for redemption.

ADVERTISEMENT

“Get off like we sent them home,” A’ja Wilson said in a postgame press conference. “They have that… they have an angry locker room. I think they want that chip on their shoulder. So I think it’s good for us and for every team to know that it’s bigger than what we may be expecting—and we’ve got all those standards.” And make no mistake, this wasn’t just a casual warning.

article-image

Imago

Especially now, with the Aces coming off a convincing win over the Sparks while Seattle just suffered a loss, the timing couldn’t be better. The Aces have clearly made adjustments in their last two games. When they faced the Storm, they struggled to keep up with Seattle’s firepower, shooting just 43.9% from the field while the Storm scorched the nets at 60%. But in their bounce-back game against LA, the Aces looked far more in sync, shooting 45.7% overall and a blistering 48% from beyond the arc.

ADVERTISEMENT

Their three-point shooting was a game-changer: the Aces hit 12 threes compared to just 7 by the Sparks. Even at the free-throw line, they showed sharper focus, converting 87% of their attempts compared to just 75% against Seattle. But the most telling stat? The largest lead. Against the Storm, the Aces never led by more than one point. Seattle, on the other hand, built a 27-point lead at one point. Against LA, though, the Aces flipped the script, holding a 24-point advantage at their peak. So no doubt, the Aces are ready for redemption—especially with A’ja Wilson leading the charge. With her eyes firmly set on another MVP title, she’s not just trying to win games, she’s out to make a statement.

ADVERTISEMENT

A’ja Wilson’s got an individual motive behind LA’s better record!

The three-time MVP, A’ja Wilson, has never finished outside the top eight in MVP voting her entire career, and now she’s hungry for more. A fourth MVP title is firmly in her sights, and if her recent performance against the Los Angeles Sparks is anything to go by, she’s on a mission. Dropping 35 points and grabbing 13 rebounds, she became the first player in WNBA history to put up at least 30 points, 10 rebounds, three blocks, and three steals in a single game. It was vintage A’ja. Fierce, efficient, and unrelenting.

ADVERTISEMENT

But even with numbers like those, Wilson is still sitting third in MVP odds this season, trailing Napheesa Collier and Caitlin Clark, who have drawn over 850 votes so far. Does that faze her? Not at all. If anything, it fuels her. Winning the MVP again would make A’ja only the second player in league history to win the award in back-to-back seasons, joining the legendary Cynthia Cooper. But for that to happen, one thing is clear: the Aces need more wins. Well, MVPs don’t just put up stats; they lead winning teams.

And that’s where things get tricky. Especially since Wilson’s competition is Collier, who’s putting up big numbers and leading a 6-0 Minnesota Lynx squad. Not just that, she had even earned 67% of GM votes to win MVP this year. So, the pressure’s on. And Wilson knows it. With Seattle Storm up next, the Aces have a chance to start rewriting the narrative. So here’s the question: Can A’ja Wilson rally her squad, stack up more wins, and close the gap in the MVP race?

ADVERTISEMENT

Share this with a friend:

Link Copied!

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Written by

author-image

Yashika Dutta

2,141 Articles

Yashika Dutta is a Basketball Writer at EssentiallySports, covering the NCAA, WNBA, and Olympics. A member of the EssentiallySports Journalistic Excellence Program, she specializes in the high-stakes energy of college basketball, with features on the Big Ten Conference and the chaos of March Madness that bring fans right to the hardwood. Her coverage has even caught the attention of UConn coaches and Olympian Rori Dunk, earning her recognition for both accuracy and insight. A former state-level basketball player, Yashika channels her on-court experience into reporting that captures the game’s intensity beyond the box score. With a player’s sense of timing and a journalist’s instinct for storytelling, she shines a light on rising stars like Caitlin Clark and JuJu Watkins, while unpacking the pressures and triumphs that shape college hoops. Whether charting a Big Ten rivalry or chronicling the ethos of March Madness, Yashika connects fans to the heart of the game with energy and authenticity.

Know more

Edited by

editor-image

Shreya Singh

ADVERTISEMENT