Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon didn’t need to draw up anything fancy in the dying seconds of Game 3 of the WNBA Finals on Wednesday night. When you have A’ja Wilson on your side, the playbook writes itself: get her the ball and let greatness happen.
With just 0.9 seconds left on the clock, Wilson silenced the roaring PHX Arena by draining a breathtaking fadeaway jumper that sealed a 90–88 victory for the Aces over the Phoenix Mercury. The shot left the crowd frozen between disbelief and heartbreak — while Wilson’s teammates mobbed her in celebration, now just one win away from another WNBA championship.
Flashing to the free-throw line off a perfectly timed inbound pass, Wilson drove hard to her strong side against DeWanna Bonner, as Alyssa Thomas rushed in for the double team. But even surrounded by two of the league’s best defenders, the four-time MVP was unstoppable. Her shot — pure, smooth, inevitable — found nothing but net.
After the game, Wilson revealed the simple but powerful words Hammon told her in the huddle before the final possession.
“Just go get it done,” Wilson said.
And she did — in spectacular fashion.
Wilson was utterly dominant, turning in a masterpiece of 34 points, 14 rebounds, four assists, and three blocks. She shot 11-of-20 from the floor and nearly perfect 11-of-12 from the free-throw line. Her relentless energy, poise, and precision carried the Aces through a late scare after blowing a 17-point lead.
Jackie Young backed her star teammate with 21 points and nine assists, while Jewell Loyd provided a major spark off the bench, contributing 16 points and seven rebounds.
Meanwhile, Phoenix had no answer for Wilson’s brilliance. She’s averaging a jaw-dropping 27.7 points per game in the Finals, tearing through every defensive scheme thrown her way. If the Mercury can’t contain her soon, a championship sweep could be on deck when Game 4 tips off Friday night.
The Aces, who fell short to the New York Liberty last season, are now on the brink of reclaiming their crown — and if A’ja Wilson keeps playing like this, that throne may be hers alone.
