Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson sets record with 5th WNBA MVP award
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The athlete received the news in a special, phoned-in message from former Vice President Kamala Harris.
A’ja Wilson continues to cement her place in sports history.
The Las Vegas Aces star was named the 2026 Kia WNBA Most Valuable Player, the league announced on Thursday (Oct. 8). Her latest honor sets a record as she becomes the first player in the 30-year history of the league to win the award in three consecutive seasons, as she was also named MVP in 2020, 2022, 2024, and 2025.
According to the WNBA, Wilson received 65 of 74 first-place votes and nine second-place votes (713 points) from a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. In her ninth WNBA season, Wilson averaged 26.2 points, 9.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.9 blocked shots and 1.4 steals in 32.0 minutes in 41 games. She also led the league in points per game for the third straight season and in blocks per game for the fifth consecutive season and the sixth time overall.
Additionally, the University of South Carolina alum earned all four Kia WNBA Western Conference Player of the Month awards in 2026, becoming the first player in league history to sweep a conference’s honors twice in her career, which she also did in 2020. Beyond celebration and glory, the honor comes with a $60,000 prize and a trophy specially designed by Tiffany & Co.
The news was shared with Wilson by former Vice President Kamala Harris.
“I got a message from Kamala Harris. Obviously, that is an honor. My soror. A woman of our history. And I’m so appreciative to be able to share that moment with her through the phone call and the message of her delivering that I won my fight MVP,” the 30-year-old said in a press conference shared by the WNBA.
She also reflected on the magnitude of the emotional moment.
“You dream as a young girl, you dream so big, and you write your goals out, and you just never imagine that you’re able to check them off. And when you’re able to check them off- small wins, big wins- it truly means a lot,” shared the Olympic gold medalist. “I think thats why I cried a little bit harder on this one.”
In second place for league MVP was newcomer Olivia Miles, the Minnesota Lynx guard who was named the 2026 Kia WNBA Rookie of the Year.
Additional league honors include the Atlanta Dream star player Angel Reese being named 2026 Kia WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, Dallas Wings’ Jessica Shepard earning the Most Improved Player Award, Janelle Salaun of the Golden State Valkyries being unanimously named the Sixth Player of the Year, and the Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve being named Coach of the Year.