(This article was updated to add new information)
South Carolina women’s basketball great A’ja Wilson now has more MVP awards than any other player in WNBA history.
Wilson won her second consecutive Most Valuable Player award, the league announced Sept. 21, becoming the first and only player to win four times.
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She was previously tied with Sheryl Swoopes, Lisa Leslie, and Lauren Jackson who all have three MVP titles each.
This accomplishment comes days after she was named Co-Defensive Player of the Year alongside the Minnesota Lynx’s Alanna Smith on Sept. 18, Wilson’s third time winning DPOY.
The 6-foot-4 star forward/center played for Dawn Staley at South Carolina from 2014-18 and was selected No. 1 overall by the Las Vegas Aces.
She won her first MVP award in 2020 and her first WNBA championship in 2022. The Aces won again in 2023.
A’ja Wilson wins 2025 WNBA MVP
Allisha Gray, who played with Wilson for one season at South Carolina was also voted a finalist for MVP. Gray averaged 18.4 points per game for the Atlanta Dream. The Indiana Fever ended the Dream’s season on Sept. 18, with Gray scoring 19 points in her final game of the season.
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Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier, Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell, and Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas were the other finalists.
A’ja Wilson WNBA stats
Wilson is averaging 23.4 points and 10.2 rebounds per game in her eighth season. The No. 2 seed Aces beat the Seattle Storm in the first round of the playoffs and now face the Fever. In the Game 3 win, Wilson had 38 points, five rebounds, three steals and two blocks.
Already this season, she had the league’s first 30-point, 20-rebound game and became the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 5,000 career points. On Sept. 8, she set a league record with her 13th 30+ point game.
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Wilson led the league in blocks per game (2.3) for the fourth season in a row and her fifth overall. She ranked No. 2 in total blocks (92), No. 3 in total steals (64), defensive rebounds (7.9) and defensive rebound percentage (.249), and No. 4 in steals per game (1.6).
Dawn Staley reacts to A’ja Wilson’s 4th MVP award
Not long after the news, Staley took to X to congratulate her most decorated former player.
“To have achieved MVP in half of the years you have been in the league is truly amazing,” Staley wrote. “We are proud of the work you put in every off season-you make it count on the biggest stage. The Sky is not your limit! GOD IS”
Staley included a picture of three visors from Wilson’s Nike clothing collection.
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Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email her at lkesin@gannett.com. Follow her on X@Lulukesin and Bluesky@bylulukesin.bsky.social
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: A’ja Wilson named 2025 WNBA MVP, first player to win 4 times
