A'ja Wilson Makes History with Fifth WNBA MVP Award

The Historic Run of A'ja Wilson

A'ja Wilson has made history in the WNBA. In 2026, the Las Vegas Aces star became the first player in league history to win the Most Valuable Player award five times.

Wilson has dominated the league in recent years. She captured her first MVP award in 2020 and followed it up with another win in 2022. She then went on an incredible run, winning the award three years in a row from 2024 to 2026.

Legends of the MVP Award

The MVP award has been handed out since 1997, when Cynthia Cooper won the first of her back-to-back trophies with the Houston Comets. Since then, some of the biggest names in basketball have taken home the honor.

Before Wilson's historic fifth trophy, several players had won the award three times. Sheryl Swoopes of the Houston Comets won in 2000, 2002, and 2005. Lisa Leslie of the Los Angeles Sparks won in 2001, 2004, and 2006. Lauren Jackson of the Seattle Storm also won three times, taking the honor in 2003, 2007, and 2010.

Other recent multiple winners include Breanna Stewart, who won with the Seattle Storm in 2018 and the New York Liberty in 2023, and Elena Delle Donne, who won with the Chicago Sky in 2015 and the Washington Mystics in 2019.

How the MVP is Decided

Winning the MVP is no easy task. The regular-season award is decided by a national panel of 60 sportswriters and broadcasters.

This same panel is responsible for choosing other major end-of-season awards. These include the Defensive Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Sixth Player of the Year, Most Improved Player, and Coach of the Year. They also select the players for the All-WNBA, All-Defensive, and All-Rookie teams.

What it means for the next game

Golden State Valkyries at Las Vegas Aces (WNBA, Sat, 10 Oct): Las Vegas Aces win 58%, Golden State Valkyries win 42%; projected score Las Vegas Aces 80, Golden State Valkyries 78. Our safest pick: Valkyries +10.5.

Golden State Valkyries at Las Vegas Aces (WNBA, Sun, 11 Oct): Las Vegas Aces win 46%, Golden State Valkyries win 54%; projected score Las Vegas Aces 82, Golden State Valkyries 82. Our safest pick: Aces +7.5.