Even the best players on the hardwood can have rough patches, and A’ja Wilson is no different. While Wilson keeps adding to her accolades every season, the Las Vegas Aces center has faced a consistent inner battle with depression.

Wilson’s battle with anxiety and depression traces back to the COVID-19 days when the players were restricted to a bubble in 2020. She recently shed light on her situation during that rough phase while speaking at the Glass Half Full podcast with Craig Melvin.

“I felt like I started to dive into people-pleasing, and I felt bad because I wasn’t the person that everyone wanted me to be all the time,” said Wilson on the podcast. “That’s when it kind of hit me that I just don’t feel good, and these are moments where I feel like I should be my best, and I feel awful, like, and then you say the magical question, ‘What’s wrong with me?'”

During the bubble, Wilson and the other players were confined to the IMG Academy. Although the bubble also comprised Wilson’s teammates and even players from opposition teams, the situation was intensely isolating and nerve-wracking. These players had to strictly adhere to the COVID protocols.

So, the option for an association and face-to-face exchanges was minimal. Subsequently, the players had to follow these strict provisions for nearly 90+ days. For Wilson, her world suddenly narrowed to basketball.

“It was COVID, and I didn’t really have an outlet,” Wilson said in the interview. “It was just me and basketball, and normally basketball’s my sanctuary, but sometimes when that’s the only thing, it’s kind of like the highs and lows.”

And in turn, her anxiety and mental battles zeroed in on her, and she began to experience a separation from her true self.

The 2020 WNBA Finals were the first time Wilson was on the grandest stage. While she was battling with depression, her performances for the team did not dip, as she averaged 19.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks. However, this was not enough for the Las Vegas Aces to secure the win over the Seattle Storm, who swept them to win the championship.

After battling with it herself, A’ja Wilson has been open about her mental battles. She has shared her mental battles as a Black woman across various platforms. For instance, Wilson published an essay in The Players’ Tribune in 2021 that shed light on the issue.

Furthermore, in 2024, Wilson doubled down on these struggles in her memoir, “Dear Black Girls: How to Be True to You.” She had even shared incidents from her childhood in that memoir, which narrates how she faced racism because of being a Black child.

This streamlines the fact that Wilson’s battle with depression and anxiety isn’t just limited to her struggles with success. Instead, it’s something far more sensitive and personal. Furthermore, it exemplifies that success doesn’t warrant immunity from mental battles.

Nevertheless, Wilson had a very clear-cut assessment of how to deal with depression and anxiety.

A’ja Wilson Reveals the Mentality That Helped Her Through That Period of Depression

It’s immensely difficult to navigate a battle where the opposition is your own mind. Every decision you make is to question. And every bit of thought brings second guesses. During this tough stretch, A’ja Wilson emphasized the basics and gradual self-improvement.

“And it’s like, when nothing’s wrong with you, you’re just human, and I had to really work through that of just being like, hey, you’re going to have your days where it just may not be it,” Wilson said as per the Glass Half Full podcast. “But that next day you better be sure that it’s better than the day that you had before. And so I had to work through that.”

Further in the conversation, A’ja Wilson also didn’t hesitate to state that she has been going through therapy to work out her mental battles. Wilson’s story will definitely encourage a lot of players and fans to open up about their depression and even seek professional help in that regard.

While Wilson continues to influence people’s lives, she is also experiencing immense success on the court. With the Aces, A’ja Wilson is undoubtedly going through another MVP season. She’s currently averaging 25.6 points and 9.0 rebounds, as per ESPN. Wilson will next feature in the Aces’ clash against the Phoenix Mercury on June 17.