A'ja Wilson has big Tuesday as she wins WNBA honor and ties another record

For the 5th time during the 2024 WNBA season and for the 21st time during her professional career, South Carolina basketball legend A'ja Wilson has been chosen as the WNBA Western Conference Player of the Week. Only Tamika Catchings, Elena Delle Donne, Candace Parker, and Tina Charles have earned more conference player of the week honors in their careers. Wilson, however, is just 28 years old with a lot of basketball ahead of her.

Wilson earned the honor after averaging 36.3 points, 13 rebounds, 3 blocks, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 66.1% shooting for the week. She also helped the Aces clinch another playoff berth, the team's sixth in a row. They officially will have a chance to win their 3rd straight WNBA Finals title.

Tuesday didn't end with A'ja Wilson putting another award on her living room mantle, though, as her Las Vegas Aces squad took on the Chicago Sky later that night.

Facing off against star rookies Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso (a fellow former Gamecock), Wilson backed up her player of the week selection with another loaded box score. In what became a 90-71 win for Wilson and the Aces, the presumptive WNBA MVP went off for 30 points, 14 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks, and 2 steals while shooting 10-19 from the floor and 9-10 from the free throw line. She also helped limit Reese to 4-12 shooting and Cardoso to just 2 rebounds.

Wilson's strong game made her the first WNBA player ever to average at least 30 points and 15 rebounds per game over a 3-game stretch. She also tied an all-time WNBA record by scoring 139 points over a 4-game span, matching the league's best mark set by Maya Moore back in 2014.

Wilson is in line to break single-season WNBA records for points scored and player efficiency rating. Her rebounding total will be better than the previous rebounding record, but Angel Reese is on pace for an even higher number of boards, meaning Wilson likely will finish with the 2nd-best total of all-time. Wilson also leads the W in blocked shots.