In 2025, as the Las Vegas Aces initially loosened their grip on the regular season, one thing that no one ever lost a bet on was A’ja Wilson’s performance. You see, the perennial league MVP has been building on her game year on year. And very well, the MVP and DPOY of that year almost single-handedly helped her team win its third championship title in the last five years.

Fast forward to now, as the improved team tries to get in the company of only three other WNBA teams with four titles, Wilson has proven that there is no end to her capabilities. So, when the WNBA announced A’ja Wilson as its 2026 Most Valuable Player yesterday, her fifth, On3 reporter Chris Wellbaum turned to the proud mentor Dawn Staley with his annual question: “Is A’ja the best women’s basketball player ever?”

“THE BEST! 5/9 of your pro career you’re the MVP especially the controversial one when some voter gave her a 4th place vote…..it’s not even close anymore!” she wrote on X.

Wilson collected 65 of 74 first-place votes to become the first player in the 30-year history of the league to win the award in three consecutive seasons. She crossed Cynthia Cooper, who won the honor in 1997 and 1998. Minnesota rookie Olivia Miles finished second with six votes. But this is just a small part of her dominance.

The Aces superstar led the league in scoring this season with 26.2 points per game on 52.7% shooting from the field and 40.4% from the three-point range. She also averaged 9.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists — a career best — and 1.9 blocks, delivering production at both ends of the floor. More interestingly, the achievement also places her in rare company beyond the WNBA.

In NBA history, only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (6), Michael Jordan (5), and Bill Russell (5) have won at least five regular-season MVP awards, strengthening her case among basketball’s all-time greats. The recognition for her greatness even extended beyond the league.

Nike supports its player as she claps back at the trolls

Nike Basketball took to X to congratulate A’ja Wilson, where they also shared a clip of the Aces star firing back at her critics.

“Five MVPs. At some point, it stops being a debate and starts being a pattern. Congrats, A’ja Wilson,” the brand wrote, while in the clip, Wilson made it clear that the outside noise has not gone unnoticed.

“I see the trolls. I hear the chatter. Y’all had a lot to say about the first four. I heard it all… I get it. Every year, y’all find a new reason it shouldn’t be me. But it is me. Whoops. Five, to be exact. Whoops again. So keep talking. But if I’m always on your mind – just say you’re a fan,” she said.

The latest award also adds another layer to her historic run as the Aces celebrated Wilson’s distinction.

Aces, others celebrate A’ja Wilson’s honor

“Back-to-back…and back again. 💅 Making history is what she does. A’ja Wilson is the only player in WNBA history to win Most Valuable Player three times in a row,” the team wrote.

Even the league didn’t stay behind.

“U’nmatched greatness. MVP No. 5 🖐️🏆 A’ja Wilson is your 2026 @Kia WNBA Most Valuable Player!” the WNBA posted on X.

For Wilson, the individual accolades continue to pile up. However, the challenge now is ensuring that her historic season ends with another championship. The Aces are down 2-0 to the Valkyries in the semifinals, leaving them with no margin for error. One more loss would end their postseason run and their hopes of securing a second consecutive title.

So while her place among the game’s elite may be becoming harder to dispute, as Staley insists, with Las Vegas on the brink of elimination, her next challenge is turning individual greatness into another championship run.