Team USA's A'ja Wilson on her stellar basketball season: "This is something I'm built to do"
A’ja Wilson is on track for a historic season in the WNBA. She leads the basketball league in scoring and blocks per game, is second in rebounds, and is in the top five for steals per game. Seven seasons into her WNBA career, she also broke the Las Vegas Aces franchise record for scoring.
Wilson told Olympics.com that this kind of season is what she has been working for.
“I just see it as I'm doing what I'm supposed to do. I'm doing what I've prepped myself, what I love to do. If this is historic, and the numbers say it, then great, but at the same time, this is something that I'm built to do. I've built myself to do. So it doesn't come as any surprise. And it's something that I'm not really hunting. I'm glad that it's organically coming, and my teammates are helping me do that,” Wilson said.
The 27-year-old has another daunting challenge in front of her as part of the U.S. women's basketball team headed to the Olympic Games Paris 2024. The USA have a gold-medal streak dating back to the Olympic Games Atlanta 1996, and they are looking to be the first team ever to win eight straight golds. She sees the streak as upholding the legacy that’s been built by previous basketball greats.
“We were just talking about the legends that have come before us to lay the foundation now, and it's so key for us to continue to play the game that we love, but just for them as well. I mean, that is a lot. That's a lot on our shoulders. But we do it with grace because we know the standard is gold and we don't show up half... We have to be at our best,” said Wilson.
The United States’ dominance means that not everyone wants to see that streak continue. Wilson is careful to filter out negativity.
“A lot of people want to see us fail, and some are rooting for us, so we really pay attention to the ones that are rooting for us and leaning on that and making sure that we're ready for the moment. And I think we are. Our roster is crazy good, so, we're ready for anything,” she said.
One person on that roster is Breanna Stewart. Wilson and Stewart have been at the top of the WNBA for the past few seasons. Each woman has two WNBA MVP awards, and two WNBA championships. They faced each other in the WNBA Finals in 2023, with Wilson’s Aces coming out ahead. They are used to being rivals, but in Paris, they will be teammates.
“I feel like me and Stewie, we continue to grow up together in this league. So a lot of people see us as the rivalry that we are in and then our respective teams. But when it comes to USAB, we're literally teammates and we don't get that chance often. Even an All-Star game, we’re not ever teammates because we're literally probably the top two. It's pretty cool just to have those moments, like we grew up together literally being teammates with USAB, so now it's kind of like we're older now. I love that,” Wilson said.
A'Ja Wilson on her goals for the future: "I want to be in a legend category"
Three other teammates of hers on the U.S. team also play for the Las Vegas Aces: Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young. Two other Aces will also be in Paris: Megan Gustafson will play for Spain, while Tiffany Hayes qualified to play for Azerbaijan in 3x3. They lead WNBA teams in Olympic representation.
“We're Olympians. We're great at what we do and for our respective teams. And we showcase that every single day. We show up to be the best professionals that we could be. But we're also great at putting the basketball in the hoop,” Wilson said.
Wilson often makes statements with her “tunnel fits,” the outfits she wears into games. Earlier this year, she announced she had a shoe deal with Nike using her tunnel fit. She also often wears a gold necklace with the Olympic rings hung from it, and she said she's proud to show that she's an Olympian.
“It's not something people do every single day, and it's something that it's like, they may not know a lot of different players," Wilson said. "They may not know what team I play for, but when you're talking about Olympian, they instantly know that you're great at something because you wouldn't be on that team if you weren't. So I kind of rep it. My parents gave it to me. I won my first gold medal on my birthday, so that was my gift. So I wear it a lot. But it's something that I definitely wear that's a part of me. And I love it, and it's an honor to be an Olympian.”
Wilson will turn 28 while she’s in Paris. She already has a long list of awards and honors, but she wants to be known for more than what she won.
“I think I want to be in a legend category. I want to be something that people are just like, wow, she was really good at basketball player but damn, she was just a great person. She was everywhere. We see her every moment in history books and stat sheets, like she was everywhere for her team. And that's something that I continue to strive for because it's not easy. It's really, really hard to be on all the time, for eleven other minds on the court, and you still have to be great within yourself. They make it easy by taking a lot of pressure off me, but that's something that I definitely want people to always remember,” Wilson said.
Watch A’ja Wilson and Team USA in the Olympic women’s basketball tournament starting July 29.