Aces star A’ja Wilson sounds off on challenges of historic season
Reigning WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson opened up about the challenges she faced this season — both on and off the court. As the Las Vegas Aces go for their third consecutive WNBA title, Wilson shared how her journey as a Black woman in professional sports adds layers of complexity to an already demanding career.
Reflecting on her historic season, Wilson spoke openly about the pressure she feels to not only perform at the highest level but also to overcome societal obstacles that often get overlooked.
“I mean, for us, as Black women, we grew up, a lot of time, with our parents telling us, ‘You got to work 10 times as hard just to get a foot in the door, let alone to stand out,'” Wilson said in an interview with Tyler R. Tynes for ESPN. “This year just has really shown — blatantly — that you really have to work your ass off in order for people just to even look at you.”
For Wilson, the 2024 WNBA season was filled with extraordinary highs, such as becoming the first WNBA player to score 1,000 points in a season, and the single-season rebound record. However, there was also an undercurrent of struggle that stems from feeling underappreciated despite her continued success.
“Throughout the whole course of my career, yes, I’ve had times where I’m like, ‘Dang, this is hard. This is weird. I don’t like it. It’s uncomfortable.’ But at the same time, I’ll work through it. This year just really highlighted that no matter how well you’re doing, there’s always going to be a certain amount of people trying to downgrade you and sweep you under the rug,” Wilson said.
A’ja Wilson finds peace disconnecting from the game, social media
© Candice Ward-USA TODAY Sports
Despite being at the top of her game, Wilson said that criticism of her playing style has hit harder this year than ever before.
“This year is more the year that I’ve seen anyone call my game boring than it’s ever been. I’m like, ‘OK, cool, whatever.’ You have some people that are like, ‘Oh, she’s having the best season of her life,’ and then others are like, ‘Nah, I don’t even like it.’ So, you use that in some senses, and it can get to you. It can get exhausting having to show up every single day, and people may not show you the worth that you want,” Wilson said.
For Wilson, the Aces’ locker room has become a place of solace — a space where she feels valued and appreciated, even when outside pressures feel overwhelming. To manage these pressures, Wilson takes time away from the game to recharge and disconnect from social media.
“I delete my socials and wake up like, ‘Dang, my day is actually going pretty smoothly.’ I’m more attentive, more in tune with my life—my real actual life,” Wilson said. “I don’t really think about (the game) when I’m home. I love cartoons and a good murder show — just disconnecting from the game. I don’t watch it enough so I can miss it a little bit.”
The Aces now face the challenge of winning three straight WNBA semifinals games versus the New York Liberty if they want a shot at a three-peat championship. Las Vegas lost Game 1 and Game 2 of the WNBA semifinal series to the Liberty. The two teams play again Friday.
The post Aces star A’ja Wilson sounds off on challenges of historic season appeared first on ClutchPoints.
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