Las Vegas Aces forward A’ja Wilson (22) celebrates after a 101-88 victory over the Indiana Fever in the Michelob Ultra Arena at Mandalay Bay Saturday, June 24, 2023.
Friday, June 30, 2023 | 11:46 a.m.
The Las Vegas Aces have signed franchise cornerstone and reigning league MVP A’ja Wilson to a two-year contract extension, the team announced today.
Terms of the contract were not disclosed, but it will keep Wilson in Las Vegas through 2025. The two-time MVP and reigning Defensive Player of the Year was set to hit unrestricted free agency after this season.
Drafted No. 1 overall by the Aces in 2018, Wilson has become one of the best players in the WNBA during her short tenure. The 26-year-old Wilson has averaged 19.1 points and 8.5 rebounds in her six-year career.
“When the Aces made me their first-ever draft pick, they entrusted me with a lot,” Wilson said in a statement. “I’m happy to still be in Las Vegas, winning games, playing at a high level, but also being a part of a community that has embraced me and my teammates over the past six years, and made this city a second home for me.”
She won her second league MVP last season while leading the Aces to their first WNBA championship in franchise history. The Aces are off to a league-best 14-1 start this season and are coming off a 98-81 win over the New York Liberty on Thursday.
Wilson is off to an MVP-caliber start this season, averaging 19.4 points and nine rebounds, along with being second in the league with 2.1 blocks per game.
“A’ja Wilson is a generational talent and a huge foundational piece to our team and organization,” Aces general manager Natalie Williams said. “We are thrilled to have her re-sign and be here in Las Vegas for the next two years.”
Wilson was named an All-Star for the fifth time this year and will be a team captain when the game is played at Michelob ULTRA Arena on July 15. Her team defeated Breanna Stewart’s team 134-112 in last year’s game. Stewart, like Wilson, is an All-Star captain for the second straight year.
“Her body of work speaks for itself — her impact on the game, on the community of Las Vegas and with her teammates,” coach Becky Hammon said. “Everybody who is around her knows how special she is, and it is great to have her remain in the fold.”
Danny Webster can be reached at 702-259-8814 or [email protected]. Follow Danny on Twitter at twitter.com/DannyWebster21.
