A'ja Wilson Makes WNBA History With 2026 MVP Honor
A'ja Wilson won the WNBA MVP award for a fifth time after a historic 2026 season.
Las Vegas Aces' star player A ja Wilson has won the WNBA's Most Valuable Player (MVP) award for a record fifth time in her career. Currently in her ninth season, she has achieved the accolade in more than half of her playing years. This marks the first time in the league's history that a player has won the MVP three years in a row.
Wilson broke the league record last year by winning her fourth MVP, setting the highest number of awards won by any player in WNBA history. Three players have previously won the award three times — Lisa Leslie, Lauren Jackson, and Sheryl Swoopes.
This season, Wilson made history yet again. She became the first woman to average 25 points per game, along with shooting 50% and hitting 40% from three-point range. Her 26.2 points per game average is the second-best in WNBA history, surpassed only by her own record of 26.9 points per game from the 2024 season. As her 2026 season is still ongoing, the Aces remain in the WNBA playoff semifinals, facing the Golden State Valkyries in the series.
If the Valkyries win Game 3 on Friday, they could potentially sweep the Aces. However, Wilson's consistent performance and past success suggest she might add another WNBA title to her impressive record.
Wilson received 65 first-place votes, just ahead of Minnesota Lynx rookie Olivia Miles (6 votes) and Indiana Fever's Kelsey Mitchell (2 votes). Caitlin Clark, another player, secured one second-place vote.
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