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A’ja Wilson has spent years stacking accomplishments that don’t require embellishment, and this year, the Las Vegas Aces star added another one to the list: Time Magazine’s Athlete of the Year.
The honor capped a season in which Wilson claimed her fourth league MVP, her third WNBA championship, and Finals MVP, becoming the first player—WNBA or NBA—to secure MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, Finals MVP, and a title in the same season.
But in her wide-ranging Time interview, Wilson made it clear the story wasn’t just about trophies. It was also about context—and what gets lost when attention narrows too much in one particular direction.
The explosion of interest around Caitlin Clark’s arrival in the WNBA in 2024 undeniably boosted ratings and visibility. Clark’s rookie season coincided with record TV numbers and sold-out arenas, and Wilson has never denied that impact. What troubled her was the way parts of the narrative framed Clark as the league’s singular savior.
“It was more so, let’s not lose the recipe. Let’s not lose the history,” Wilson said. “It was erased for a minute. And I don’t like that.”
Wilson, who won MVP and Olympic gold in the same year Clark entered the league, emphasized that the WNBA’s foundation was built long before the current surge. From stars who endured lower pay, limited coverage, and unstable league footing, she argued that today’s success didn’t appear overnight—or because of just one player.
“We have tons of women that have been through the grimiest of grimy things to get the league where it is today,” Wilson said.
The numbers supported her point. During the 2025 season, Clark missed most of the year with an injury, yet viewership across ESPN networks still rose by roughly five to six percent per game. For Wilson, that mattered. It suggested the league’s growth wasn’t dependent on a single star, but on sustained investment in its players.
“Sometimes you need proof in the pudding,” Wilson said. “They’re going to pay attention.”
