A'ja Wilson Wins Record Fifth WNBA MVP, First Player to Take Three in a Row
Las Vegas Aces center A'ja Wilson has won the 2026 WNBA MVP, extending her own record to five awards and becoming the first player to win it three seasons running.
Las Vegas Aces center A'ja Wilson has been named the 2026 WNBA Most Valuable Player, extending her own league record to five MVP awards. The honor also makes her the first player in the league's 30-year history to win it three seasons in a row.
To be clear, the five awards span her career, not a single season: she previously won in 2020, 2022, 2024 and 2025.
How the voting went
A panel of sportswriters and broadcasters cast the votes. Wilson received 65 of 74 first-place votes and nine second-place votes, for 713 points.
Minnesota Lynx rookie guard Olivia Miles was second with 442 points and six first-place votes. Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell was third (287 points, two first-place votes), followed by Fever guard Caitlin Clark (212 points, one first-place vote) and New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart (171 points).
The numbers behind the award
In her ninth season, Wilson averaged 26.2 points, 9.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.9 blocks and 1.4 steals in 32.0 minutes over 41 games. She led the league in scoring for the third straight year and in blocks per game for the fifth straight year.
Her scoring average ranks second in league history, behind her own 26.9 from 2024. She shot 52.7% from the field, 40.4% from three-point range and 86.4% from the free throw line, and set career highs in threes made and attempted.
ESPN reports she became the first WNBA player to average 25 points while shooting 50% overall and 40% on threes. Mitchell narrowly out-scored her in total points, 1,086 to 1,073.
Wilson also led the league with 13 games of 30 or more points, tying her own single-season record. She moved to 11th on the all-time scoring list with 6,792 points, 12 shy of Sue Bird for 10th.
Where she stands in history
Wilson became the WNBA's first four-time MVP last season. Sheryl Swoopes, Lisa Leslie and Lauren Jackson each won three. Cynthia Cooper (1997 and 1998) was the only other player to win in back-to-back years.
Across American team sports, she now matches NBA greats Michael Jordan and Bill Russell with five MVPs. Peyton Manning also has five in the NFL, while Wayne Gretzky (nine), Barry Bonds (seven) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (six) have more.
"That is incredible to be listed amongst those names," Wilson told ESPN, calling it "basketball royalty."
What happens next
Wilson's Aces, the No. 3 seed, host the Golden State Valkyries in Game 3 of the semifinals at 9:30 p.m. ET on Oct. 9, on Peacock/NBCSN. Golden State leads the series 2-0. Wilson will receive $60,000 and a trophy designed by Tiffany & Co. for the award.
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Quick answers
How many MVP awards does A'ja Wilson have?
Five: 2020, 2022, 2024, 2025 and 2026. That is a WNBA record.
Who finished second in 2026 WNBA MVP voting?
Minnesota Lynx rookie Olivia Miles finished second with 442 points, well behind Wilson's 713.
When is the Aces' next game?
Las Vegas hosts Golden State in Game 3 of the semifinals at 9:30 p.m. ET the day after the announcement, trailing 2-0.
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