A’ja Wilson added more hardware to her already historic career on Friday, as the former South Carolina star was named both the AP WNBA Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year. Fellow Gamecock great Allisha Gray also earned major recognition with her first All-WNBA First Team selection.
For Wilson, this marks her second straight Player of the Year award and the third overall (2020, 2023, 2024). She dominated across the board this season, leading the league in scoring (23.4 PPG) and blocks (2.3 BPG), finishing second in rebounding (10.2 RPG), and third in steals (1.6 SPG). She also dished out a career-best 3.1 assists per game while topping the WNBA efficiency charts.
Wilson now owns three of the top five seasons in WNBA history by efficiency rating — all in the last three years. She also became the first player in league history to average at least 20 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and one steal over an entire season.
She nearly etched her name into more record books, finishing just two points shy of Jewel Loyd’s 2023 mark for the second-highest single-season scoring total in WNBA history. Wilson closed with 407 rebounds, the third-most ever, and in August delivered the league’s first-ever 30-point, 20-rebound game. Her 13 games with 30+ points set a new single-season record.
This is also Wilson’s third Defensive Player of the Year honor in five years, a testament to her growth on both ends of the floor.
“Considering coach (Dawn) Staley was so hard on me about my defense in college, I’m glad I can have some success at the pro level multiple times,” Wilson told the AP.
Joining Wilson on the All-WNBA First Team is Allisha Gray, her former South Carolina roommate. Gray has flourished with the Atlanta Dream, becoming an All-Star starter for the first time this season. She posted career highs across the board — 18.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.1 steals — while also setting Atlanta’s single-season scoring record.
Despite dealing with multiple injuries, Gray powered the Dream to a share of the second-best record in the WNBA, breaking the franchise’s all-time wins mark.
They were joined on the First Team by Napheesa Collier (Minnesota), Alyssa Thomas (Phoenix), and Kelsey Mitchell (Indiana). Wilson, Collier, and Thomas were unanimous selections.
The Second Team featured Paige Bueckers, Sabrina Ionescu, Nneka Ogwumike, Kelsey Plum, and Jackie Young. Bueckers, the Dallas rookie sensation, also took home Rookie of the Year honors, headlining an All-Rookie Team that included Sonia Citron, Kiki Iriafen, Leila Lacan, Janelle Salaun, and Dominique Malonga.
Other award winners included:
- Coach of the Year: Natalie Nakase (Golden State Valkyries), who led the expansion team to the playoffs.
- Comeback Player of the Year: Shakira Austin (Washington).
- Most Improved Player: Veronica Burton (Golden State).
- Sixth Woman of the Year: Naz Hillmon (Atlanta).
The AP awards, voted on by a 14-member national media panel, are now in their 10th year. The official WNBA league awards will be revealed during the playoffs, where Wilson is widely considered the favorite to become the league’s first-ever four-time MVP.
