Sports · Basketball · 2 days ago
A’ja Wilson wins record fifth WNBA MVP as Aces face playoff elimination
A’ja Wilson, a center for the Las Vegas Aces, has been named the WNBA’s Most Valuable Player for the 2026 season.
It is her fifth MVP award, a league record, and makes her the first player to win the award three years in a row.
Wilson led the league in scoring, averaging 26.2 points per game.
The Aces are defending champions and have reached the semifinals for the eighth consecutive season.
But they trail the Golden State Valkyries 2-0 in their best-of-five series, so another loss would end their season.
Game 3 is at the Aces’ home court on Friday, and Wilson says she will warm up with her team rather than take part in a ceremony for her award.
The Aces need to win to stay in the series.
A’ja Wilson won a record fifth WNBA Most Valuable Player award for the 2026 season.
She became the first player in league history to win three straight MVPs.
Wilson received 65 first-place votes and nine second-place votes.
With the Las Vegas Aces trailing Golden State 2-0 in their semifinal series, Wilson said she would skip a planned pregame ceremony before Game 3.
Wilson averaged 26.2 points per game and helped the Aces finish the regular season 31-13.
- Who
- A’ja Wilson, center for the Las Vegas Aces.
- What
- She won her fifth WNBA MVP award, a league record.
- When
- Thursday, October 8, 2026.
- Where
- Las Vegas. The sources do not state the exact location of the award announcement.
- Why
- The award recognized her 2026 season, when she led the league in scoring. The sources do not state the voters’ individual reasons.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
I love the fans, but I will not be doing that
I will be warming up with my team.
Obviously, that is an honor
Each one of these has not been taken lightly
Wilson was announced as the 2026 WNBA MVP and received the award.
Wilson said she would not take part in a pregame ceremony before Game 3.
The Aces were scheduled to host the Golden State Valkyries in Game 3, with Las Vegas trailing 2-0.
- MVP awards
- 5, a WNBA record
- Consecutive MVP awards
- 3, a league first
- First-place votes
- 65 of 74
- Regular-season scoring average
- 26.2 points per game
- Aces regular-season record
- 31-13
- Semifinal series
- Las Vegas trailed Golden State 2-0 in a best-of-five series
Sources
Aces' Wilson wins 5th MVP, says she'll nix pregame ceremony to focus on Game 3
Aces superstar A'ja Wilson wins record fifth WNBA MVP... but Caitlin Clark doesn't even make the top three
‘One of one’: A’ja Wilson stands alone with record fifth WNBA MVP award
Five! Comparing A'ja Wilson's MVP run to some all-time greats
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