Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson has been named the Associated Press WNBA Player of the Year for a third straight season, cementing her status as the league’s premier talent. The national media panel awarded Wilson 15 of the 17 first‑place votes, outpacing Minnesota Lynx rookie guard Olivia Miles and Indiana Fever guards Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell.
Historic achievement
This honor marks Wilson’s fourth overall Player of the Year award, tying the record for most in WNBA history since the honor began in 2016. The Aces star, 30, joins New York Liberty legend Breanna Stewart as the only players to reach this milestone.
Wilson is also in contention for the league’s Most Valuable Player award for the third consecutive year and the fifth time overall. Her season averages of 26.2 points, 9.4 rebounds and a career‑best 3.2 assists per game led the WNBA in scoring and underscored her all‑around impact.
Other AP honors
While Wilson collected the top individual award, Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese was named AP Defensive Player of the Year, averaging 16.4 points and 12.1 rebounds. Rookie Olivia Miles earned unanimous selection as Rookie of the Year after posting 19.8 points, 6.0 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game, helping Minnesota secure the league’s best record.
Caitlin Clark was recognized as the AP Comeback Player of the Year, delivering 22.3 points and 8.3 assists per contest after a challenging previous season.
Coaching and other accolades
Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve received the Coach of the Year award for guiding her team to the top of the standings. Dallas Wings forward Jessica Shepard was honored as the Most Improved Player, while Golden State Valkyries forward Janelle Salaun earned the Sixth Woman of the Year distinction.
The awards ceremony highlighted the depth of talent across the league and reinforced the growing popularity of women’s basketball nationwide. Fans can look forward to the upcoming playoffs, where many of the honored players will aim to translate their individual success into team championships.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
