Now in her ninth WNBA season, A’ja Wilson has become one of the W’s most dominant stars. It was no different this time when the Aces played their first-ever game against expansion franchise Toronto Tempo. In front of more than 8,200 fans, the Aces won their 18th game of the season, and Wilson scored 26 points. Following their win, WNBA journalist Savanna Hamilton asked what Wilson believes has been the most significant change now that she’s been a part of the W for almost a decade.

“I think how human and real we are,” she said in the post-game interview clip Hamilton posted. “In the beginning, obviously we weren’t household names just yet, and we were growing, and if you knew, you knew. It was always the question, like, what do you want to tell people to come? And I’m like, ‘Just come to games. I promise you’ll love us.'”

“I’m like, just come to games. I promise you’ll love us. And I think now people see us in different lights as just human beings, like the sisters, the wives, the girlfriends, like the daughters, and I think that’s what makes it truly special.”

Back when A’ja Wilson was just a rookie and the national broadcasts were far more limited. The WNBA reported that, “through three games, audience for the 2018 WNBA season is up +58% on ESPN2 compared to the first three games on ESPN2 in 2017. The season is averaging 266,300 viewers.”

But fast forward to the league’s 30th anniversary season, and the W now features a record 216 nationally televised games across multiple major networks, with regular-season matchups frequently drawing more than a million viewers. However, their growth is not just limited to television.

In 2018, W players were still flying on commercial airlines and maximum salaries sat around $115,000. However, under the new CBA deal, chartered flights are now standard, and maximum-contract players are earning a salary of $1.4 million, which is set to grow to more than $2.4 million by 2032.

Players whose names fans didn’t even recognize back then are now the same ones whose shoes and jerseys they line up to buy while tuning into their podcasts and following them on social media for a glimpse into their lives.

“I’m not even gonna lie. It stunned me a little bit, just the love that I received. People had my shoes, people had my jerseys, they were screaming my name,” she further added while reflecting on her experience playing in Toronto.

Now, exactly who deserves the most credit for this rapid growth remains a topic of debate. Some point to Caitlin Clark and the attention she has brought to the league, while others highlight A’ja Wilson’s dominance and the Aces’ championship dynasty.

The truth is, the WNBA wouldn’t be where it is today without the contributions of several stars over the years. But while Wilson took a moment to appreciate how far the league has come, her attention has to come back to the task at hand.

What’s next for A’ja Wilson and the Aces?

With a 109-83 win over the Tempo, the Las Vegas Aces now sit second in the WNBA standings. But their journey this season hasn’t been without its struggles. They have already dropped seven games, including a 109-75 blowout loss to the Indiana Fever just one game before this.

For what it’s worth, A’ja Wilson continues to dominate on an individual level. She leads the Aces in points, rebounds, steals and blocks, once again proving why she is one of the best two-way players in the league. But basketball is a team game, and that’s exactly where Las Vegas has struggled at times this season.

The Aces are allowing 85.9 points per game. Injuries and midseason roster changes have also hurt their bench depth, while inconsistent perimeter shooting and 12.2 turnovers per game have made it easier for defenses to load up on Wilson. As a result, even her dominant performances haven’t always been enough to keep Las Vegas out of the loss column.

Still, with the team gradually finding their rhythm, the Aces will hope to carry their recent win momentum into the second half of the season. If they can tighten up defensively and get more consistent production around A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas will once again look every bit like a championship contender.

For now, they will go to CareFirst Arena to face the Washington Mystics on their home court on July 22.