The Las Vegas Aces haven’t been their usual dominant force so far this season, but A’ja Wilson certainly is.
The two-time reigning MVP recorded 32 points, 15 rebounds, two assists and two blocks on 10-of-17 shooting in Thursday’s win over the Phoenix Mercury. While the performance was impressive in itself, it also marked Wilson’s eighth consecutive game with 25 or more points, tying a WNBA regular-season record.
Previous record holder: Tina Charles (2021, 7 times)
Some of Wilson’s points were particularly unfair.
Starring alongside Wilson on Thursday was Jackie Young, who had 34 points, eight rebounds and four assists. She and Wilson are the first teammates to each score 30 points in a game this season and just the third in Aces franchise history.
Those efforts helped the Aces bounce back from a three-game losing streak to beat the Mercury, 103-99, and improve to 6-5 on the season. That’s still a significant drop considering the Aces hadn’t suffered a five-game losing streak until Aug. 26 last season.
The team has been waiting for star point guard Chelsea Gray to return for a long time, but she may be back soon.
This season has already been historic for Wilson. She recorded her first WNBA record of 35 points, 10 rebounds and five steals last week, and she’s the first WNBA player to average 25 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks over nine games. Her numbers are certainly MVP-worthy, but the two-time champion has her sights set on bigger goals.
