The Las Vegas Aces and the Minnesota Lynx rivalry has delivered some of the most exciting moments over the last few seasons, and now, A’ja Wilson has added yet another highlight to the battle. This time, however, it came at Napheesa Collier’s expense during the latest matchup between the two sides, and the fans cannot stop talking about it.
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Vegas hosted Minnesota on August 15, and not even a quarter into the game, A’ja Wilson produced a thunderous defensive play against Collier. At the 3:31 mark in the first period, the Lynx star drove the ball into the paint late in the shot clock, looking to get an easy bucket in the paint. However, Wilson appeared behind her and swatted her shot out of bounds as Collier hit the floor.
The play was clipped and posted to social media several times, both by fans and the WNBA itself, quickly gaining online attention on X in particular. One post from @UnderdogWNBA earned over 56,000 views in a couple of hours, showing just how popular the sequence was.
The timing only made the play more interesting. Just this season, the two teams have faced off twice already, splitting the season series before the most recent matchup. Before Sunday, the previous matchup between the Aces and the Lynx was just about a week ago, on August 8. That game saw Minnesota beat Vegas 98-87, with Napheesa Collier and rookie Olivia Miles each scoring above 20.
The meeting between the two teams could serve as a potential finals preview, with them sitting among the three best records in the league; Minnesota is 28-7, while Vegas is at 24-11. Both teams have secured playoff spots, being the first two teams to do so this season. With Wilson’s prolific block on Collier, the fans wasted no time in flooding the comment section with reactions.
WNBA Fans React as A’ja Wilson Sends Napheesa Collier’s Shot Back
A’ja Wilson’s block immediately sent fans into a frenzy, and many ran to the comments to express their shock at the stunning block on Collier. Many saw it as a statement against one of Wilson’s premier frontcourt rivals, but according to some, this was a more specific payback.
“Phee sent her s*** 3 times last match, it’s fairs,” one fan wrote, highlighting the August 8 matchup between the two sides. Indeed, Collier, apart from logging 22 points, also blocked three shots, all of them being Wilson’s.
One comment jokingly pleaded with Wilson after the emphatic block, reading, “That’s somebody’s momma cmon A’ja.”
Others were more focused on her stellar defense, with one observer commenting, “A’ja Wilson said “not today” 🚫🔥 That rejection was nasty. Absolute lockdown. #WNBA.”
Meanwhile, one user was particularly impressed and made a bold prediction about how her night was about to end. “Ole GOAT Wilson is locked in and going for 40 today. 🔥.”
However, perhaps the most succinct reaction was one referencing something we have all seen time and time again, simply reading, “DPOY!!!!!!!”
With both Wilson and Collier locked in during the matchup, even a single possession could become a talking point, and this play gave fans lots to discuss.