Just three days ago, A’ja Wilson arrived at Barclays Center in a walking boot, unable to play and watch her team suffer a loss against the Liberty.
However, on Wednesday night, Wilson made a stunning comeback by becoming the WNBA’s single-season scoring leader, scoring 27 points in a victorious game against Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever.
Prior to Wednesday’s game, Wilson was trailing Seattle guard Jewell Loyd’s single-season scoring record of 939 points, set during the 2023 season. Wilson managed to break Loyd’s record in the second quarter with a free-throw line jumper, a familiar sight during Aces games. She accomplished this feat in just 35 games, while Loyd had reached her mark in 38 games.
As of now, Wilson’s point total stands at 956 with four games left in the 2024 regular season. She is on track to potentially become the first WNBA player to reach 1,000 points in a single season, given her current average of 27.3 points per game.
With the WNBA expanding to 40 games and the increasing talent in the league, many records are expected to be broken. In the previous season, Loyd surpassed Diana Taurasi’s 2006 single-season point total of 860 in just 34 regular season games. Liberty’s Breanna Stewart also surpassed Taurasi in 2023 by finishing with 919 points.
Wilson’s final 2024 single-season point total will likely coincide with her third MVP title. The 28-year-old is almost guaranteed a spot in the First Team All-WNBA and is a strong contender for her third Defensive Player of the Year Award. In her pursuit of a third consecutive WNBA title, Wilson is averaging impressive stats, including 27.3 points, 11.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 2.7 blocks, and 1.9 steals.
Originally Published: September 11, 2024 at 10:05 p.m.
