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A’ja Wilson could retire tomorrow and still have her name etched alongside Breanna Stewart, Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird or Lisa Leslie. The 29-year-old fresh off of leading the Las Vegas Aces to their third WNBA title this year, and won her fourth league MVP on top of it. HC Becky Hammon is clearly enamored by her and understandably so.
While Wilson does do a ton of heavy lifting on her both sides of the court, no great baller doesn’t do it on their. A’ja doesn’t just have fantastic teammates, she also has had some great coaches in her life.
In college, she played under the legendary Dawn Staley, who helped the forward morph into a three-time SEC Defender of the Year and a three-time SEC Player of the Year.
Her first coach in the W was NBA legend Bill Laimbeer. While many remember Bill’s contributions on the Bad Boy Pistons, some forget that he was a three-time WNBA Champion. After Bill came the Aces’ current coach, Becky Hammon. And her pairing with Wilson proved to be a lethal combination. Together, they’ve won three titles, including this past year in 2025.
Hammon was a recent guest on Post Move, where she was asked by host Candace Parker about working with A’ja. “She’s a real one,” responded the six-time All-Star. “We have hard conversations. We have moments together where she’s telling me her thoughts, I’m telling her my thoughts. But the moment that I took this job, she’s so coachable. You’re the best player in the world and you’re the easiest player to coach. She’s never a problem.”
She wasn’t done there either. Hammon revealed that Wilson, arguably one of the W’s best defensive players, allows her to criticize that aspect of the game for the greater good of the team.
“She allows me to get on her for her defense. And that really sets a tone for the rest of the team. ‘She’s yelling at A’ja Wilson for being a crap defender, and A’ja Wilson is the best defender in the world.’ You know? She really does want to be great. That’s what I’m here for. I’m here to help make you great.”
Dwyane Wade once said that a great coach will instill confidence in you during the game’s biggest moments. It’s so clear, based on the way Hammon speaks about Wilson, that she has so much faith in her superstar player, and wouldn’t shy away from giving her the ball with the game on the line. She proved this in Game 3 of the Finals, when Wilson hit the game-winner to give the Aces a 3-0 series lead.
“That willingness to kind of take a hit in front of your team, or take a hit when it’s not even her fault. She’s just really secure in who she is,” added Hammond, who used the phrase again to describe how strong Wilson’s relationship was with her parents, and how she as a parent knows how to guide.
And maybe that’s what ultimately separates A’ja from so many who have come before. The rare balance of greatness and humility, the superstar who invites the work rather than runs from it. Through every stage of her journey, Wilson has embraced coaching as fuel rather than friction. It’s why her game keeps evolving, why her leadership keeps expanding, and why the Aces keep winning.
Surrounded by mentors who challenge her and teammates who trust her, A’ja has become the kind of player who not only defines an era, but elevates everyone around her. And as the league continues its historic rise, it’s clear that its brightest star is still finding new ways to shine.
