Aces’ A’ja Wilson reveals some opponents ‘bore’ her — except this one originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
A’ja Wilson makes basketball look easy. At 29 years old, the Las Vegas Aces‘ superstar center is the WNBA’s only four-time MVP, and she won her third championship last month when the Aces swept the Phoenix Mercury out of the WNBA Finals.
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It’s a resume that no other WNBA player can boast: Wilson is a former #1 overall pick who, in eight seasons, has transformed the Aces franchise into a juggernaut. Not to mention, Wilson also won Olympic gold medals in 2020 and 2024 while starring for Team USA.
But even Wilson is human. In the WNBA semifinals, for example, the Indiana Fever found a way to slow her down and nearly advance to the finals themselves. In 2024, Wilson and the Aces lost to the New York Liberty at the same stage, and the Liberty went on to defeat the Minnesota Lynx for their first-ever championship.
Wilson names Breanna Stewart as her toughest assignment
Speaking to Kylie Kelce on her Not Gonna Lie podcast, Wilson revealed that Liberty forward and United States teammate Breanna Stewart is the toughest player to be matched up against in the entire WNBA.
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“She’s a three-level scorer, and the way that she plays the game is so tough to read, because she’s that skillful,” Wilson told Kelce.
Like Wilson, Stewart is herself a former #1 pick who found immediate success upon joining the WNBA. She’s also a serial winner: Stewart won four straight championships at the University of Connecticut and has added three WNBA titles to her trophy cabinet since — as well as three Olympic gold medals. In addition to that, Stewart is the co-founder of the Unrivaled offseason league, where she will play in 2026 for Mist BC.
“Some players, you’re like ‘okay, force her to her bad hand, you can live with it,’ but Stewie is completely different,” Wilson said. “You really have to be able to know how and when she’s gonna score the basketball.”
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Stewart is a matchup nightmare for anybody: a 6’4” forward who handles and shoots the ball like a smaller guard. Not only does she boast a career scoring average of 20.5 points per game — second among active players, behind Wilson — but Stewart too is a seven-time All-Defense selection. Her length and switchability have long made her a terrific rebounder and shot-blocker.
In other words, Stewart is the complete package. And that has earned Wilson’s respect.
“I really love competing against Stewie,” Wilson said. “Every time we play against each other, it’s some elite basketball that you’re watching. She makes me think every possession, and I love that. Sometimes I get bored.”
