“Unfinished business” – 3× MVP A’ja Wilson throws down the gauntlet as she aims to reclaim WNBA title after $249,032 guard’s key addition

Coming off a season where she captured her third MVP in five years, A’ja Wilson finds herself with a new All-Star teammate. As she prepares for the 2025 campaign, the superstar center shared her mindset for the Las Vegas Aces moving forward.

In the midst of free agency, Vegas executed a multi-team trade with the LA Sparks and Seattle Storm that saw multiple stars change squads. Kelsey Plum is now on her way to LA, and Jewell Loyd is replacing her on the Aces.

During a recent interview on The Athletic Women’s Basketball Show Thursday, A’ja Wilson was asked her thoughts about the trade. She is sad to see Plum go but feels the Sparks is going to be a good situation for her. In regards to landing Loyd, Wilson thinks the addition will help them get back to contending for a WNBA title.

“I’m super excited for the welcoming of Jewell,” Wilson said. “Obviously, the addition to her is going to change our whole look as the Aces.” (11:50)

“I’m super excited to get to training camp and to revamp a little bit of the Aces and get back on track, because I feel like we have a lot of unfinished business that we need to take care of.”

Loyd is a six-time All-Star who is coming off a season where she averaged 16.9 points and 3.2 assists with the Storm. She’ll certainly be an upgrade to the Aces’ roster as they look to get back in the title picture after falling short of a three-peat.

Las Vegas has a short window with Loyd, as she is in the final year of her contract. The veteran guard will earn $249,032 in 2025 before hitting the free-agent market.

A’ja Wilson seen training at her old stomping grounds in her new signature sneaker

Before a new WNBA season gets underway, A’ja Wilson had a big unveiling. Earlier this week, she became the latest women’s basketball star to have her own signature shoe. The Nike “A’Ones” are set to hit the shelves this spring.

While she reportedly fielded an offer from Unrivaled to play in their first season, Wilson declined to focus on training in the offseason. She was recently spotted getting work in at South Carolina while donning her new shoe.

Before becoming one of the WNBA’s top stars, Wilson spent four years at South Carolina under legendary coach Dawn Staley. She had a lot of success there, most notably winning a national title as a junior in 2017.

A’ja Wilson enters 2025 looking to build off arguably the most dominant season in her career. She might not have secured a title but received MVP honors in the WNBA and Summer Olympics. With a revamped roster, Wilson appears motivated to add a third championship to her already historic resumé.

Edited by Kevin McCormick