Aces’ A’ja Wilson wins AP WNBA Player of the Year for 3rd straight year

NEW YORK — A’ja Wilson is successful a people by herself, winning the AP’s WNBA Player of the Year grant for an unprecedented 3rd consecutive year.

Wilson received 15 of the 17 first-place votes from a nationalist media sheet Sunday. She topped Olivia Miles of Minnesota arsenic good arsenic Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell of Indiana, who each had stellar seasons.

“It’s big. It’s an grant for maine to bash it 3 times successful a row. It’s not easy,” Wilson said successful a telephone interview. “My counterparts successful this league are truly good. I don’t instrumentality it lightly due to the fact that of however overmuch endowment we bash person successful this league.”

It’s the 4th clip that Wilson has won the AP award, breaking a necktie with Breanna Stewart for astir since the awards were archetypal fixed successful 2016.

“That’s got a bully ringing to it,” Wilson said. “That’s beauteous cool.”

The AP voting is done by a 17-member sheet that votes connected the powerfulness canvass each week. It’s the 11th twelvemonth of the awards.

The WNBA volition denote its postseason awards implicit the people of the playoffs, which statesman Sunday. Wilson is simply a immense favourite to triumph the WNBA MVP for the 3rd consecutive season.

Wilson erstwhile again led the league successful scoring (26.2) portion shooting astir 53 percent from the field. She besides averaged 9.4 rebounds, a career-best 3.2 assists and 1.9 blocks.

Angel Reese dethroned Wilson arsenic the AP Defensive Player of the Year. Wilson had won the grant successful 3 of the past 4 seasons.

Reese made the astir of her determination to Atlanta this offseason. She was 3rd successful the league successful steals and had the versatility to defender astir positions defensively. She besides topped the league successful rebounds for the 3rd consecutive season.

Miles had an unthinkable archetypal play and was honored arsenic the AP Rookie of the Year arsenic a unanimous choice. The No. 2 prime successful the draught by the Lynx averaged 19.8 points, 6.0 assists and 4.7 rebounds to assistance Minnesota decorativeness with the champion grounds successful the league. She acceptable the WNBA grounds for points by a rookie, surpassing Clark’s from 2024.

Miles was joined connected the AP All-Rookie squad by Dallas’ Azzi Fudd, Chicago’s Sydney Taylor, Seattle’s Flau’jae Johnson, New York’s Pauline Astier and Toronto’s Kiki Rice.

Wilson, Clark, Miles and Mitchell headlined the AP All-WNBA archetypal team. They were joined by New York’s Stewart. Reese was connected the 2nd squad on with teammate Rhyne Howard, Dallas’ Paige Bueckers, Las Vegas’ Jackie Young and Golden State’s Gabby Williams.

Other AP winners included:

— Coach of the Year: Cheryl Reeve. It’s the 3rd clip the Lynx manager has won the award, besides being honored successful 2020 and 2024. She guided the squad to the No. 1 effect successful the playoffs portion it was missing superstar Napheesa Collier for the archetypal fractional of the play erstwhile she recovered from offseason country connected some her ankles. Reeve bushed retired Golden State’s Natalie Nakase and Washington’s Sydney Johnson.

— Comeback Player of the Year: Clark. The Fever defender missed overmuch of past play with a assortment of injuries. She came backmost beardown this year, playing successful 40 games. She averaged 22.3 points, 8.3 assists and 4.0 rebounds. Washington’s Georgia Amoore and Chicago’s Courtney Vandersloot besides received votes.

— Most Improved Player: Jessica Shepard. The Dallas Wings guardant came to the squad arsenic a escaped cause and excelled. Shepard averaged vocation highs successful points (14.5), rebounds (11.1), assists (5.3) and minutes (31.7). Shepard had six triple-doubles this season. Washington’s Shakira Austin and Seattle Dominique Malonga were adjacent successful the balloting.

— Sixth Woman of the Year: Janelle Salaun. The Valkyries guardant came disconnected the seat successful each 40 games she played this play and averaged 12.7 points and 4.0 rebounds portion shooting 39.2% from down the 3-point line. She led each reserves successful scoring this play and the Golden State seat averaged implicit 36 points a game. Marine Johannes of New York was adjacent successful the voting.