Las Vegas, NV (February 2, 2022)—Las Vegas Aces Head Coach Becky Hammon announced today that the team has re-signed 2020 WNBA M’VP A’ja Wilson.
“A’ja is a generational talent both on and off the court, and I’m excited to have her back in the fold with the Aces,” said Hammon. “She has been the leader of this team, and an integral part of the Las Vegas community since the day she was drafted, and I know our fans are ecstatic to once again have her at the forefront of our pursuit of a WNBA Championship.”
“Aces fans have embraced me and this team since the day I was drafted, and the city has really become a second home for me,” said Wilson. “I’m looking forward to working with Coach Hammon, and excited about the future of our franchise heading into 2022.”
The South Carolina graduate has been the face of the league since the Aces made her the number one overall pick in the 2018 WNBA Draft. Since then, Wilson has added quite a bit of hardware to her trophy room taking home Rookie of the Year honors, netting three All-Star appearances, the 2020 WNBA M’VP Award, two All-WNBA nods, and an Olympic Gold Medal just to name a few.
In four short years, Wilson already ranks sixth in franchise history in career points (2,146), seventh in rebounds (917), fourth in blocked shots (184), and third in double-doubles (37), and has led the Aces to three WNBA postseason berths, and the 2020 WNBA Finals.
In addition to making her mark on the court, Wilson has become a vocal leader off of it, serving on the Women’s National Basketball Player’s Association’s Social Justice Committee, and penning a number of inspirational articles for the Player’s Tribune.
Dear Black Women Dear Black Girls The Indigo Child Brute Strength
In 2018, A’ja and her parents founded the A’ja Wilson Foundation which serves as a resource for children and their families who struggle with dyslexia to empower them to reach their full potential through educational programming, workshops, camps and grant opportunities. AWF works to change the culture of students to prevent bullying through education and mentoring, challenging students to use their power to empower compassion and inclusivity amongst their peers.
The 25-year-old is also making a name for herself on Madison Avenue. In 2018, she became the first WNBA player to partner with Mountain Dew. She is one of the leading women’s basketball representatives for NIKE, and has been featured in the game growers series of commercials for Microsoft. Wilson also launched the Burnt Wax Candle Company in 2020, and just recently became both an investor and a trainer with the Masters Fitness App.
In January of 2020, the University of South Carolina unveiled a statue of Wilson outside Colonial Life Arena, honoring her accomplishments both on and off the court. The 6-4 forward led the Gamecocks to the 2017 NCAA National Championship, 2015 NCAA Final Four, three SEC regular-season championships and four SEC Tournament titles during her time in Columbia.