WNBA Finals: Aja Wilson and Las Vegas Aces go back-to-back

Late Wednesday night, Aja Wilson helped lead her Las Vegas Aces squad to back-to-back WNBA Finals titles, something that had not been done in 21 years since the Lisa Leslie-led Los Angeles Sparks accomplished the feat.

The Aces pulled off the 70-69 win in New York, something that must have been just a little bit sweeter when the team remembered how big of a celebration the New York Liberty unleashed when they beat the Aces in Las Vegas to secure the Commissioner’s Cup title back in August.

In the win, Aja Wilson tied an all-time WNBA Playoff record with her 12th career 20-10 game in the postseason. The league’s best player and rightful MVP dropped 24 points and 16 rebounds on the Liberty in the clincher. Breanna Stewart, who actually won the MVP award, continued to have a horrible postseason, scoring 10 points on 3-17 shooting.

Wilson was awarded the WNBA Finals MVP for her efforts, an honor that eluded her during last year’s championship run.

For the series, Wilson averaged 21.25 points and 12.5 rebounds on 50% shooting. The 3-1 series win saw the Aces outscore the Liberty by over 15 points per game in the team’s three victories, even with the clinching game being so tight.

Still in her prime, Aja Wilson demonstrated through these WNBA Finals (and the entire 2023 WNBA season) that she has a realistic spot in the GOAT conversation. Wilson still has a ways to go to catch players like Leslie, Diana Taurasi, and others, but her on-court excellence has put her right in the conversation with the other greatest players of all-time.

When Wilson hit a fall-away midrange jumper that served as the game’s dagger, her old South Carolina basketball coach Dawn Staley was as hyped as anyone in the building.

Aja Wilson and the Las Vegas Aces are the back-to-back WNBA Finals champs, and, honestly, it’s not too early to start thinking about a three-peat.