A’ja Wilson showing up for a monster performance isn’t a thing of surprise anymore. Pressure situation? Even better. “[in] big moments, she gets bigger,” were the words of her former teammate, Kelsey Plum. And that was the case on Saturday night. History was on the line for the Aces, and the Mystics were slowly snatching it away. But Wilson had vowed to start stacking up wins the right way following the All-Star break, and you better believe she’d pop off. Time for Napheesa Collier to watch her back yet?

During the game against the Mystics tonight, the young team surged to an early 15-point lead for a 26-19 first-quarter finish. But Wilson willed the Aces back on track, scoring 11 points in the second quarter as they surmounted a 44-39 lead at the half. The only time Mystics sniffed a comeback since that point was when the scoreline read 68-61 after three quarters. But Wilson crushed their hopes yet again, scoring 10 points. It was a literal MVP-worthy performance as she finished with 36 points, 13 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 2 steals. It was a landmark performance where years-old records tumbled.

First, the 91-81 victory helped the Aces establish the best streak at 10 since the franchise moved to Las Vegas in 2017. It also stands as the longest winning run in the league since 2021. Then for some individual applause, Wilson tied legend Diana Taurasi for most 35+ point games at 14.

The Aces icon became the only player to notch multiple seasons with 10 or more 30-point games, something legends like Taurasi, Candace Parker, and Sue Bird haven’t matched. While all-time records solidified her legacy, her 2025 records further spiked her stock as the 2025 MVP against Napheesa Collier and Alyssa Thomas.

According to Across the Timeline, this was her ninth game this season where she put up a statline of 30+ points and 10+ rebounds, while the entire rest of the league has only 4. No other player in the league has more than 1 such game, including leading MVP candidate Napheesa Collier. 

Adding to her greatness, the record is not limited only to this season, as this was her 25th game with such numbers, and the next best is Tina Charles with 15. After this game, Wilson’s scoring average sits at 23.2 points per game, which is just shy of league leader Collier’s 23.5. With Wilson already leading in rebounds with 10.2 per game, overtaking Collier in points would only strengthen her MVP campaign.

With the Lynx star out for at least two more weeks, the 3x MVP has a good chance of surging ahead. It won’t be a difficult task considering she has had 4 30-point performances in the last 5 games. And if the MVP honor favors the better team, the Aces are proving it, too. They have moved up 3 spots since the commencement of the second half of the season. In addition to her statistics, which speak for themselves, Wilson also has a very strong endorsement from her coach, Becky Hammon. 

Becky Hammon Points Out What Makes A’ja Wilson Different

“It’s possible that Wilson could be a victim of her own historic success this season. She has raised the bar for greatness, and as such, it’s a tougher mountain to climb to win MVP again.” ESPN Analyst Bill Barnswell wrote in his preseason predictions before giving Napheesa Collier the nod for the 2025 MVP. He could still be right, and Wilson could still take the MVP. Currently, Collier is the favourite with a 69% chance according to Polymarket Hoops, but Wilson’s chances have heavily increased to 24% in the past 10 games. According to Becky Hammon, though, she is already the unanimous MVP. 

“I think anytime a media person has to ask a question, ‘Who’s as good as A’ja Wilson?’ That’s where you start the conversation. That’s your answer,” Hammon said before their Mystics matchup. Like Barnswell said, she is a victim of her own standards. Last season, she averaged 26.1 points and 11.9 rebounds, and despite reducing her output by 4 points, she is still in that conversation. No one who suffers a drop like that will sustain themselves. In addition to that, Hammon explained the one aspect that makes her different.  

The Aces HC said, “She’s top three in every major statistical category, but most importantly, efficiency. She’s No.1 in efficiency. And to me, people need to do that kind of homework. Don’t just look ‘Okay, she scored more points than anybody else, she has more rebounds than anybody else,’ Like all that stuff is great, but she does it efficiently.”

Despite taking 16.5 shots, her field goal percentage stands at 49.3%. Her only competitor is Napheesa Collier, who shoots at 53.7% while having more or less the same volume. Her usage rate of 31 is the most in the league while making 34% of the team’s field goals. As Rachel DeMita wrote, “her back is sore from carrying this team all season.” She has to take all the difficult shots while being this accurate, making her arguably the best player in the league this season.