Key Takeaways
- A'ja Wilson reached 6,000 career points in 278 games, setting a new WNBA record for scoring pace.
- During a 34-point performance against Seattle, she broke Diana Taurasi's previous record of 291 games and surpassed Breanna Stewart's 293-game pace.
- The milestone adds to her résumé as a No. 1 overall pick and cornerstone of the Las Vegas Aces under coach Becky Hammon.
A’ja Wilson added another historic achievement to her résumé on Monday (June 8) night, becoming the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 6,000 career points.
The Las Vegas Aces star reached the milestone during her team’s 101-91 win over the Seattle Storm, needing only 30 points to get there and ultimately finishing with 34 points, 12 rebounds, nine assists and three blocks. According to ESPN, Wilson reached 6,000 points in just 278 career games, surpassing the previous record held by Diana Taurasi, who reached the mark in 291 games.
The accomplishment places Wilson in rare company. Taurasi, the WNBA’s all-time leading scorer, and New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart are among the few players to ever cross the 6,000-point threshold. Stewart reached the mark in 293 games, meaning Wilson now stands alone as the fastest player to get there. All three players were selected No. 1 overall in their respective draft classes.
Rather than focus on the record itself, Wilson credited the people who helped her along the way. “I’m just grateful to be able to do what I do with the people I love,” Wilson said, per ESPN. “I've seen so many different defenses, different schemes. Yet we still show up every single day, ready to work and ready to be great. I'm just truly grateful for every teammate I've come in contact with that has played alongside me for this 6,000.”
How A'ja Wilson became one of the WNBA's most unstoppable scorers
Aces head coach Becky Hammon believes Wilson’s evolution as an offensive player is a major reason she continues rewriting the record books. “When I first got here, she's just kind of this low post [presence], maybe [an] elbow player now and then,” Hammon said, according to ESPN. “And just the ability to move her around, so the defense is constantly having to adjust where they're bringing congestion, where their double comes from. We're trying to put her in spots where she can see it clearly.”
Hammon added, “The game is really slowed down for her. There's just really not any offensive area that she can't do. She can put the ball on the floor, get to her [midrange], put her back to the basket, step out and shoot threes, shoot free throws. The expansion of her offensive floor game has made her virtually unguardable.”
The victory improved Las Vegas to 8-3 on the season and extended the team's winning streak to four games.
A'ja Wilson shuts down Las Vegas Aces free agency rumors
Back in April, the South Carolina native shut down speculation that she could leave Las Vegas when WNBA free agency opens under the league’s new collective bargaining agreement. As REVOLT previously reported, Wilson made it clear where her focus remains: “[I’m] not looking,” Wilson said during USA Basketball training camp. “I know exactly where I am. I love Vegas. I’m not leaving Vegas.” She also said she’s looking "to win another one” and “defend a championship that we have in Las Vegas.”
If Monday’s performance was any indication, Wilson appears well on her way toward chasing both another title and even more history.