After A’ja Wilson secured her fourth MVP this past season, it felt almost obvious to call her the best player in the league. But then she appeared on Kylie Kelce’s Not Gonna Lie podcast and surprised everyone by naming the one player even she has a hard time defending.

The reigning MVP revealed, “I’m going to always say Breanna Stewart… Only because Stewie’s just she’s a three-level scorer. And the way that she plays the game is so tough to read because she’s that skillful. Sometimes when I’m thinking about just how to guard her, how to make it hard for her… but Stewie is completely different. You really have to be able to know how and when she’s going to score the basketball, and that’s super, super tough.”

Indeed, the answer was not Caitlin Clark or a top young player, but the veteran forward, who has had multiple high-profile matchups with and against Wilson. In fact, they go back even more than a decade! Their competitive camaraderie began when they shared Team USA colors for the U19 World Cup in 2013. Unsurprisingly, both returned with gold medals around their necks, then made silly faces to pose in front of the camera.

Wilson continued, admitting she enjoys the competitive intensity Stewart brings. “I love competing against Stewie because every time we play each other, it’s like a blockbuster, elite basketball that you’re watching. She makes me think every possession, and I love that because sometimes, I get bored mid-game just because of the person that I am.” Her comments highlight both the respect and drive that Wilson feels in facing such a formidable opponent.

The Aces star credited Stewart’s unique combination of abilities for making defending her a living nightmare, explaining, “Sometimes when you’re guarding Stewie, you have to keep your head on a swivel because she’s very guard-like. But then also she’s tall. So, yeah, you get the best of both worlds.” That dual-threat, combined with her ability to score on all three levels, keeps defenders on edge and forces them to adapt with every possession constantly.

When you look at head-to-head numbers between the two, you see just how razor-tight this match-up is. Against Stewart in their career, Wilson has averaged about 20.9 points and 9.5 rebounds per game. In the playoffs specifically, Stewart holds a slight edge: her record against Wilson is 8-7 in postseason games.

This isn’t the first time Wilson has spoken about their rivalry, though.

Back in 2024, on the Draymond Green Show, she talked about the nature of their bond, saying, “Stewie and I have been playing against each other for a long, long time… At the same time, we’re still cool and I feel like that’s what makes it that much better… It’s not beef. Media can make it a beef. Anybody can make it a beef. It’s like when you see us, we’re making each other better every single possession… I think that’s kind of what our game and our league needs.”

Clearly, for A’ja Wilson, Stewart represents the perfect blend of challenge, competition, and skill, a blend that every champion relishes facing.

Tracking A’ja Wilson’s Biggest Battles with Breanna Stewart, From Semifinals to Finals

Breanna Stewart and A’ja Wilson first faced off against each other in the playoffs during the 2020 Finals, back when Stewart was on the Seattle Storm, with Wilson and her Aces falling in a sweep, marking the former’s second championship. She was dominant in the series, averaging a monstrous 28.3 points per game on elite efficiency. This early finals matchup was just a glimpse into the future of modern-day WNBA!

One of their most intense head-to-head matchups took place in the 2022 Semifinals, a four-game series, where the Aces came out on top, 3-1. A’ja Wilson posted superhuman numbers, including a 33-point, 13-rebound performance in Game 2, and Stewart logged a 42-point outing in Game 4. Every possession felt like a chess match between the two, with the series reinforcing the challenge that the two faced in each other.

Their rivalry carried into 2023 and 2024, with Stewart then in the Liberty. In 2023, she dipped to 36.2% from the field as the Wilson-led Aces beat them in four games to take the championship.

In 2024, Stewart and the Liberty finally got their revenge, beating the Aces in 4, despite Wilson’s best efforts, including a 24-point performance in Game 2.

Over the years, it has become clear that the back-and-forth contests have captivated fans, and both players have pushed each other to elevate their games, cementing these series as some of the most compelling in league history.