LAS VEGAS — A'ja Wilson has officially outrun history. The Las Vegas Aces star was named WNBA MVP on Thursday, the first player ever to collect five Most Valuable Player awards and the first to win three in a row, a coronation that caps a season in which she led the league in scoring for the third consecutive year.

Wilson, 30, received 65 of 74 first-place votes from a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters, finishing with 713 points — a commanding margin over runner-up Olivia Miles of Minnesota (442) and third-place finisher Kelsey Mitchell of Indiana (287), according to Reuters. Indiana guard Caitlin Clark finished fourth with 212 points, followed by New York's Breanna Stewart with 171.

Table of contents

  1. A season of sustained brilliance
  2. How the voting broke down
  3. Where this ranks in basketball history
  4. An emotional acceptance
  5. The timing: a title defence on the brink
  6. Frequently Asked Questions
  7. Sources
  8. Related reading

A season of sustained brilliance

The numbers leave little room for debate. Wilson averaged 26.2 points per game — topping the WNBA scoring chart for the third straight season — while shooting nearly 53 percent from the field. She added 9.4 rebounds, a career-best 3.2 assists, 1.9 blocks and 1.4 steals across 41 games, per The Associated Press via NBC Sports Philadelphia.

She scored at least 20 points in 33 games, the third-highest single-season total in league history, trailing only Mitchell's 35 this season and her own 34 from 2024. She also tied the single-season record she set in 2025 with 13 games of at least 30 points — a mark that speaks to the week-to-week dominance voters rewarded.

The current three-peat (2024, 2025, 2026) sits on top of MVP wins in 2020 and 2022. No other WNBA player owns more than three MVPs: Sheryl Swoopes, Lisa Leslie and Lauren Jackson each won a trio.

How the voting broke down

The ballot revealed a generational changing of the guard beneath Wilson's throne. Minnesota rookie point guard Olivia Miles — who earned six first-place votes and 40 second-place votes — finished second, ahead of established stars Mitchell and Clark. Wilson's nine second-place votes suggest near-unanimity among the panel.

The breadth of the scoring race behind her is the clearest sign of the league's talent depth: Mitchell's 35 20-point games set a single-season record even as she finished third in MVP voting, and Clark's fourth-place finish with a first-place vote underlines the Indiana guard's growing influence.

Where this ranks in basketball history

Wilson's five MVPs now match Michael Jordan and Bill Russell on the NBA side — only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, with six, sits above her across both leagues. For the WNBA, which launched in 1997, the milestone is a first: no player had ever reached four, let alone five.

At 30, an eight-time All-Star and three-time champion, Wilson is doing it at the peak of her powers rather than at their tail. Her scoring titles have come in three consecutive seasons, and her defensive numbers — nearly two blocks a game — keep her firmly in the two-way elite.

An emotional acceptance

Wilson was told the news on the Aces' practice court, and she was visibly emotional. Later, at a press conference, she reflected on how far the journey had taken her.

"I think that's why I cried a little bit harder on this one because 15-year-old A'ja wasn't sitting up here dreaming about being a five-time MVP, she wasn't dreaming about being a three-time champion, she was dreaming about surviving this world," Wilson said, per The Japan Times. "For me to sit up here surrounded by these trophies and to be able to play the game of basketball every single day, it just means a little bit more to me and it's something I won't take for granted."

The timing: a title defence on the brink

The MVP announcement arrives at an awkward moment for the Aces. The defending champions are back in the semifinals for the eighth consecutive season, but they trail the Golden State Valkyries 2-0 in their best-of-five series, facing elimination on Friday night at home. Las Vegas has won three of the past four WNBA championships; a Game 3 loss would end the title defence and, arguably, cap a season that began with championship expectations.

Whether the MVP hardware fuels a historic comeback or closes an era-defining chapter, Wilson's 2026 campaign has already redrawn the league's record book.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many WNBA MVP awards has A'ja Wilson won?

Five — in 2020, 2022, 2024, 2025 and 2026. She is the first player in WNBA history to win five MVPs and the first to win three consecutively.

Who else has won multiple WNBA MVP awards?

Sheryl Swoopes, Lisa Leslie and Lauren Jackson each won three MVPs — the previous record, now surpassed by Wilson. No other WNBA player has won more than three.

How does Wilson's MVP total compare to NBA players?

Her five MVPs match Michael Jordan and Bill Russell. Only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, with six, has more across both leagues.

What were Wilson's stats in the 2026 season?

She averaged 26.2 points (league best), 9.4 rebounds, a career-high 3.2 assists, 1.9 blocks and 1.4 steals in 41 games, shooting nearly 53 percent from the field.

How did the 2026 MVP voting finish?

Wilson took 65 of 74 first-place votes for 713 points. Olivia Miles (442), Kelsey Mitchell (287), Caitlin Clark (212) and Breanna Stewart (171) followed.

Sources

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