WNBA champion A’Ja Wilson has added another highlight to her highly productive year of big wins with a freshly minted Time’s Athlete of the Year title.
The Las Vegas Aces icon is ending the year 2025 with a bang. Wilson’s latest career milestones join a long list of impressive accolades all attained before she clocked 30.
A’Ja Wilson Ends The Year With Time’s Athlete of The Year Accolade
The Las Vegas Aces center took a step closer to the greatest ever conversations as Time announced on Tuesday, December 9, that she was the most significant sportsperson of 2025. A’Ja Wilson’s run in the recently completed WNBA season made her a top contender and an eventual winner of the highly esteemed Time’s Athlete of the Year title.
In the social media announcement, the woman of the moment looked every bit a champion as she posed with a basketball. Wilson slipped her sleek figure into a back tube dress with a thigh-high slit and a pair of red pantyhose. The star completed the look by styling her hair into waist-length waves and wearing a pair of bold silver earrings.
The highly rated sportswoman lived up to her status when she led the league in scoring and gave the Aces their third championship. This was especially impressive, being the team’s third title in four years. The victory helped Wilson rise through the ranks with several personal career milestones. She won her record fourth MVP award, Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY), and another Finals MVP.
Winning It All
These rare feats made her the only athlete in the NBA and WNBA combined to become league MVP, Finals MVP, and DPOY all in one season. In Time’s post announcing her Athlete of the Year win, A’Ja Wilson is mentioned as one of only four basketball players to achieve all these feats before 30. The other three basketball players include Bill Russell, LeBron James, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Speaking to the publication during the Aces’ post-title celebration of the season, Wilson reflected on her career achievements and what they meant. “When you’ve collected everything, that’s Thanos. And this year, I collected everything,’ she shared, sporting a Thanos-inspired glove that symbolized every win she has amassed.
The South Carolina native continued, “I don’t really talk much s**t, I mean crap. I kind of let my game do it. This was my biggest moment of doing it, because no one’s ever done what I’ve done…”
Looking back at the season, Wilson and her teammates pulled through what started as a bleak season for them. The Las Vegas Aces were sitting in the ninth position, ready to be butted out of the postseason. However, the players impressively closed the regular season with 16 straight wins. Wilson and her teammates eventually claimed victory over the Phoenix Mercury with an 11-point win.
Inside Wilson’s Hopes For the Future
In her Time’s Athlete of the Year cover, A’ja Wilson opened up about other aspects of he life. The star spoke about her relationship with NBA player Bam Adebayo, revealing the positive impact it has had on her life. The title holder revealed how her romance with Adebayo started four years ago, way before fans suspected.
Wilson also spoke about her future with her fellow star, noting that they hoped to start a family. She mentioned that it had always been a dream, adding that Adebayo was very close to her family. With a long list of wins under her belt and a sweet love life, she looks towards the future with glee.
