A'ja Wilson Wins Fifth MVP Award, First Player to Achieve Three Consecutive MVP Titles

<p>On October 6, 2026, A’ja Wilson became the first player in WNBA history to win five MVP awards, achieving this milestone for a third consecutive season. Wilson, who plays for the Las Vegas Aces, has now secured the MVP title four times in the last five years.</p><p>Aces coach Becky Hammon stated that Wilson's achievements position her among the greatest players in basketball history. Wilson previously won an NCAA Division I national championship at South Carolina.</p><p>Hammon remarked, "(As) I said, take her off Mount Rushmore — she’s Everest. Now I’m taking her off Everest, and I have to put her on a different planet. She just has all of it." She also noted that talent alone does not guarantee the level of success Wilson has attained.</p><p>While Wilson's statistical performance this season may not have been her most impressive, she led the league with an average of 26.2 points per game and recorded 79 blocks, the highest in the league. She also ranked among the top five players in rebounds per game during the regular season.</p><p>In 2025, Wilson won her fourth MVP award, breaking a tie with Hall of Famers Sheryl Swoopes, Lisa Leslie, and Lauren Jackson for the most MVP awards in WNBA history. These players dominated the MVP awards from 2000 to 2010, with only Candace Parker and Diana Taurasi winning in 2008 and 2009, respectively.</p><p>In NBA history, only three players have achieved five MVP awards: Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Michael Jordan. With her fifth MVP, Wilson joins this elite group of basketball legends.</p><p>Wilson expressed her gratitude at a news conference, stating, "If you’re able to set a standard, if you’re able to rewrite things, and kind of etch yourself into history books, it means a lot. I’m so grateful that I can share these moments with so many different people. But it’s always fun when you’re able to set the standard, and give people and yourself something to chase after."</p><p>Wilson was the clear MVP choice, receiving all but nine of the first-place votes. Minnesota Lynx rookie Olivia Miles finished second with six first-place votes, followed by Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell with two. Mitchell’s teammate, Caitlin Clark, received the remaining first-place vote and finished fourth.</p><p>Wilson's next challenge is to lead the Aces in overcoming a 2-0 deficit against the Golden State Valkyries in a best-of-five playoff series. If successful, this would further solidify her legacy in basketball history.</p><p>Game 3 is scheduled for Friday night in Las Vegas.</p>