Las Vegas Aces star A'ja Wilson is having a historic season, and she's also earning compliments from some of the greatest to ever play in the WNBA. This past weekend, Phoenix Mercury legend Diana Taurasi said Wilson is changing the game.
Wilson became the first player in league history to score 1,000 points in a season during the Aces' 84-71 win against the Connecticut Sun on Sunday. Word spread around quickly, and Taurasi was happy to comment on the achievement.
"What A'ja is doing right now is really just changing the evolution of what you think a post player is more than anything," Taurasi said. "She is doing it in an unconventional way. She doesn't post up, she added the 3, and that's one thing about A'ja that I have found over the years by being around her and watching her evolution is every year she gets better. Whether it's better shape, whether it's extending range, her handle, the way she sees the floor, and can pick up different ways to make a decision."
Wilson already owns the single-season scoring record, and she is also close to breaking the single-season rebounding record that Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese set earlier this season (446). Wilson has 444 rebounds with two games remaining in the regular season.
Unfortunately, Reese suffered a season-ending wrist injury that cut her rookie year short. She and Wilson had been battling to be the top rebounder this season, and now Wilson is taking the baton en route to setting a new mark.
"I've gone back and forth and I can probably say she's the best rebounder I've ever seen, hands down," Taurasi said of Wilson. "When you can secure the ball for your team, you are always going to give your team a chance to win. She is just playing out of her mind, and she is going to continue to do it because she loves the game."
The Aces have won back-to-back WNBA championships, but this season has not gone as smoothly as expected. They are currently 25-13, good for second in the Western Conference behind the Minnesota Lynx (29-9) and fourth in the league.
With the playoffs just around the corner, it is still unclear where the Aces stand as the No. 3, 4 and 5 seeds are still up for grabs. They are competing with the Sun and the Seattle Storm, who they are facing off Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET.
