Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson will not play Sunday during the team’s Finals rematch against the league-leading New York Liberty on Sunday. It’s unclear when Wilson will return to the lineup, but Aces coach Becky Hammon told reporters there are “no long-term concerns.”
Wilson was injured in the closing seconds of the Aces’ win over the Connecticut Sun on Friday night. A few possessions after hitting the go-ahead jumper, Wilson grabbed a rebound to seal the win, but Brionna Jones landed on her right leg. Wilson’s ankle bent awkwardly and she immediately reacted in obvious pain. After a timeout, though, Wilson returned to the court to shoot her free throws and finished the game, then stuck around on the court to pose for pictures.
While there did not appear to be much concern immediately after the game, Wilson showed up to the arena on Sunday in a walking boot and was later ruled out.
“She tweaked her ankle a little bit there, I think everyone saw it,” Hammon said on Sunday. “Held her out today, we’ll see her status going into Indiana, see how she feels. There’s never a good time for this, but she does get a couple days to get that ankle right and get a little rest.”
The Aces enter Sunday in fourth place at 22-12, and have already clinched a playoff spot. They have five games remaining after Sunday, and there are exactly two weeks until the postseason begins. All indications are that Wilson will be ready to lead the Aces’ three-peat, which is great news.
On a personal level, though, Wilson’s injury may impact her quest for the first 1,000-point season in WNBA history. She needs 71 more points to get there, and at of 27.3 points per game — the highest single-season scoring average ever — she was on pace to do so on Sept. 13 versus the Fever. Now, it depends on when she gets back on the court.
