On Sunday (Sept. 22), A’ja Wilson was officially named the 2024 Kia WNBA Most Valuable Player. 

This achievement marks the Las Vegas Aces star's record-tying third Kia WNBA MVP Award, having previously won in 2020 and 2022. Wilson becomes just the fourth player in WNBA history to claim three MVP titles, joining the elite ranks of Sheryl Swoopes, Lisa Leslie, and Lauren Jackson.

According to a press release, Wilson received all 67 first-place votes (670 points) from a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters, making her the first unanimous Kia WNBA MVP since Cynthia Cooper of the Houston Comets achieved the honor in the league’s inaugural 1997 season.

During her acceptance speech, the 28-year-old shared powerful reflections on the relentless hard work that fueled her success, the privilege of being one of just 144 WNBA players, and the unwavering dedication required to reach the pinnacle of the sport. 

“On my best days and on my worst, I pray that I am worthy of all the blessings that have come my way,” she said. “The fact that anything I do gives another person and another Black girl [a] small bit of hope, that’s what keeps me going. Keeps me trying to be the best that I can be, always.”

Just last week, Wilson made WNBA history during her remarkable 2024 season, becoming the first player to score 1,000 points in a single season. She achieved this milestone in a home game against the Connecticut Sun, sealing it with a fadeaway jumper in the final minutes of the fourth quarter.