The Las Vegas Aces are now back-to-back champions after defeating the New York Liberty in the 2023 WNBA Finals. They became the first team to repeat since the Los Angeles Sparks won in 2001 and 2002. Despite being without two of their starters in Game 4, key players stepped up and the Aces delivered a strong second half to clinch the title.
In 2022, A'ja Wilson had a complete season. The power forward won her second MVP award as well as being named the Defensive Player of the Year. To cap it off, Wilson won her first WNBA championship as she led the Aces to defeating the Connecticut Sun. Many star players can't compete with the type of season Wilson had. It was one to remember and many looked at it as her best season thus far.
A year later, Wilson had a goal to capitalize on the success she had in 2022. The Aces were a team that separated themselves from everyone else as the favorites to repeat as WNBA champions. Even with the assembling of Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, Jonquel Jones, and others in New York, the Liberty still had to prove that they could compete with the Aces as the best team in the WNBA.
The Aces were the best team in basketball throughout the regular season. When a team has a player as skilled as Wilson is offensively, there's no question they can be unstoppable. Wilson played all 40 games during the season and averaged 22.8 points along with 9.5 rebounds and 2.2 blocks. Due to her leadership, the Aces were able to win 34 games, the most in WNBA History.
A few notable games from Wilson's season include scoring a career-high 53 points against the Atlanta Dream as well as a 40-point night against the Washington Mystics. Aces head coach Becky Hammon understands how gifted her star player is on the offensive end. Hammon has continued to maximize Wilson on the offensive end which has resulted in huge scoring nights. When Wilson can score and rebound at a high level, it elevates their team as the best in the league.
Not only did Wilson continue to thrive on the offensive end but defensively as well. As a leader, it's important to set the tone on that end of the floor. Being the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, Wilson continued to make her mark as the best defender in the WNBA. Her shot blocking continued to be a game-changer and she took pride in protecting the paint.
Wilson may have not won the MVP award this season, which was given to Breanna Stewart. However, the best players shine in the WNBA Playoffs. From the beginning, Wilson was on a mission to lead the Aces to another championship. They were the best team in the association all year long and it was time to capitalize off that statement.
Through the first five games of the Playoffs, Wilson averaged 25.8 points as well as 11.2 rebounds and 3.2 blocks. She scored 30+ points in three of the five games while recording 4+ blocks in the first three games. Wilson's dominance continued to result in success for the Las Vegas Aces. They booked their trip to the WNBA Finals after sweeping the Chicago Sky and Dallas Wings in the first two rounds.
The Aces faced the Liberty in the Finals. There was a debate all season regarding who was the better team between the two. The season series was split at 2-2 but the Liberty had an advantage as they defeated the Aces in the Commissioner's Cup. The Finals were a different atmosphere where great teams rise to the occasion. While the Liberty were a new team trying to pull an upset, the Aces showed that they weren't in unfamiliar territory.
The Aces dominated the first two games and won by an average of 22.5 points. Their ball movement continued to be spectacular and their supporting cast contributed at a high level. With that being said, the Aces took an early 2-0 series lead. Wilson continued to be a dominant force on both ends and figured out ways to overcome the physical defense of Jonquel Jones. However, she didn't have her shining moment until game four.
The Aces failed to complete the sweep after the Liberty won game three 87-73. Amid their loss, point guard Chelsea Gray went down with a foot injury that forced her to miss the rest of the game. Before Game 4, it was announced that both Gray and Kiah Stokes were sidelined. Being two starters down in the Finals was a huge loss for the Aces. Luckily, the team as a whole still had a championship pedigree. When a few players are down, others understand when to step up.
With two starters out for game four, A'ja Wilson accepted the challenge of elevating her game to the highest stage. There were two options for the Aces to blow a 2-0 series lead and allow the Liberty to be crowned champions. The other option was to respond to adversity and finish the job. After losing game three, the Aces lost all three road games against the Liberty. Because of that, fans and insiders lost faith in the defending champions.
Game four wasn't pretty, to say the least. However, Wilson delivered a legendary performance with 24 points and 16 rebounds. She found a way to overcome the length and physicality of Jones by continuing to take quality shots and show her touch at the mid-range. After a slow first half, the Aces overcame a double-digit deficit to take a 70-69 win on the road.
With the close-out performance that she displayed in game four, there's no question that A'ja Wilson is the best player in the WNBA. When the pressure is tight, she rises to the occasion. Because of her will to win, Wilson headed into the off-season as a two-time WNBA champion and a Finals MVP.