Although A’ja Wilson is considered one of the best scorers in the WNBA, you may be surprised to learn that in her first three seasons of her professional career, she did not score a single three-pointer.
Despite this, she has improved her long-range shooting, and in the Las Vegas Aces’ 81-75 victory over the Atlanta Dream, her two three-pointers were key to the game.
Wilson and Aces make history
The truth is that A’ja had a dream night: in 35 minutes of action, the WNBA MVP candidate scored 34 points and made two three-pointers at key and decisive moments for the team.
The first came to break the tie on the scoreboard, less than three minutes before the end of the third quarter. The game was tied at 48-48, but the 29-year-old center’s accurate shot gave them the lead.
Immediately after, Wilson sank the second three-pointer, marking the second time this season she has scored two three-pointers in a game. She also added nine rebounds, one assist, and four blocks to her performance, but it was her two long-range shots that stole the show.
She herself was in a very good mood after her performance, joking about it while comparing herself to Golden State Warriors talisman Stephen Curry, renowned for his ability from the three-point line.
“Don’t call me Curry,” she said in the press conference, according to ESPN.
As if that weren’t enough, A’ja equaled her best record of 11 games with 30 or more points set last year, earning her third MVP award. The record is held by Jewell Loyd, with 12, so Wilson could tie it in the team’s next game against the Minnesota Lynx, currently the best in the league (30-7), on Thursday, September 4, at home at T-Mobile Arena.
“I try to make my workouts and my practices very gamelike, so it’s familiar. I can figure out how to get to my spots and be productive for my team. That comes from understanding who I am and where I want to go,” Wilson explained.
And her numbers this season back her up: 23.2 points, 10.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.6 steals.
On the other hand, with the recent victory, the Las Vegas Aces (26-14) became the tenth WNBA team to win at least twelve consecutive games. This puts the team in second place in the league standings and secures their spot in the playoffs.
Read the full article here
