Controversy struck the WNBA awards season even before the MVP was announced. When A’ja Wilson was named co-Defensive Player of the Year, the decision immediately divided fans and raised questions about fairness. Bam Adebayo, Wilson’s boyfriend, didn’t hide his frustration. Posting on Threads over a picture of Wilson, he wrote, “Can somebody explain Co to me right now..?!?” The shared award fueled concerns that the same split could happen with the MVP, where Wilson and Napheesa Collier were neck-and-neck in the race.

A’ja Wilson has been crowned 2025 WNBA MVP according to Shams Charania of ESPN, her fourth, a first in league history after wins in 2020, 2022, and 2024. Wilson averaged 23.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.6 steals, and 2.3 blocks per game while leading the Las Vegas Aces to the No. 2 seed in the playoffs with a 30-14 record. The Aces star has left Collier in the second place yet again. The news will be officially announced at 11:30 a.m. ET. At least that was the previously announced time; the league could even fast-track it now that the winner is leaked.

The 2025 MVP had five finalists in the running. However, looking at the fan conversations, statistics, and the analyst opinions, it was realistically between Collier and Wilson. There was no undisputed winner as such, with Collier leading the Lynx to the No.1 seed and Wilson getting the Aces to No.2. Collier was extremely efficient with a 50-40-90 season, but Wilson led the league in points, rebounds, and blocks. But not just the MVP title, but Wilson has earned a double bonanza. 

The Aces star has become just the second player to win the Defensive Player of the Year and the MVP in the same year, twice, matching Sheryl Swoopes. Swoopes won the DPOY and the MVP in 2000 and 2002, while Wilson won both in 2022, too. Fortunately for Wilson, there wasn’t any “voter fatigue” in the voters, like Candace Parker had questioned. It was the late-season surge that powered Wilson to the award, as she wasn’t even in the top two in the first half. It was Alyssa Thomas and Collier who were the betting favorites. Wilson was a distant third when the Aces struggled. 

Collier’s August ankle sprain sidelined her for roughly a quarter of the season, and in that window, the Aces ripped off a 16-game win streak fueled by Wilson’s two-way dominance. It is not like she was only good for that one month. Wilson is first in the WNBA in total points, points per game, blocks per game, second in total rebounds, and third in defensive rebounds. Wilson also set the WNBA single-season record for 30-point games with a total of 13! You can’t achieve that with just a late-season purple patch. 

Now at just 29 years old, Wilson has two WNBA rings (with the chance of adding 3rd this year), 7-time All-Star, a 2-time Defensive Player of the Year, a 2-time scoring champion, a 5-time blocks leader, and a 2-time Olympic gold medalist. She has been an MVP in half the season she has played in. Wilson is already one of the greats, but can she take the Aces all the way in 2025?

Can A’ja Wilson’s 4x MVP Firepower Deliver the 2025 Crown?

Well, history doesn’t favor Wilson and the Aces. 2025 is a similar story to 2024, where Wilson had one of the best individual seasons of all time, something even her 2025 couldn’t match, and they still lost in the semifinals against the eventual champions New York Liberty. In 2025, it’s basically give to A’ja and pray. They do have Jackie Young, who is averaging 16.3 points per game in the playoffs, but is that enough?

This year is a different story from 2024. Wilson and Co. face the injury-ridden Indiana Fever in the playoffs rather than the Liberty superteam. Fever won’t be easy either. They are peaking at just the right time, with Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston taking over the reins from Caitlin Clark. There are questions about whether the Aces’ overreliance on Wilson can ultimately come to haunt them once again. 

The path to the title is scattered with different troubles. Even if they go past the Fever, the Aces have the Lynx to deal with, who are the favorites to go all the way. Napheesa Collier has lost her MVP award in two consecutive years to A’ja Wilson; she will be raring to go on a ‘revenge tour’. Lynx even lost the 2024 finals to the Liberty, so they would be even more fired up. Or if the Phoenix Mercury springs a surprise on the Lynx, they are a more all-around team than the Aces.