Key Takeaways
- A’ja Wilson made history by becoming the first player in WNBA or NBA history to win a title, Finals MVP, league MVP, and DPOY in the same year.
- Her off-court influence grew with a bestselling book, signature Nike shoe, and viral moments alongside cultural icons.
- TIME’s 2025 Athlete of the Year honor reflects both her athletic dominance and expanding cultural impact.
A’ja Wilson just added another historic milestone to a year already packed with them. TIME announced on Tuesday (Dec. 9) that the Las Vegas Aces superstar has been named the publication’s 2025 Athlete of the Year, capping off a run that has pushed her deeper into the “greatest ever” conversation — a conversation she’s no longer shy about joining.
To say Wilson dominated the WNBA this season undersells it. She won her record fourth MVP award, earned Defensive Player of the Year, led the league in scoring, claimed another Finals MVP, and delivered the Aces its third championship in four years. And she did it all at age 29, becoming the only athlete — in the WNBA or NBA — to win a title, Finals MVP, league MVP and DPOY in the same season.
TIME’s feature paints a vivid picture of her post-title celebration: tambourine in one hand, a pink slushy in the other, and a Thanos gauntlet on her left with each Infinity Stone labeled with one of her accomplishments. “When you’ve collected everything, that’s Thanos,” she said. “And this year, I collected everything.”
But even in the middle of that flex, Wilson kept it real. “I don’t really talk much s**t. I mean crap. I kind of let my game do it,” she told the magazine. “This was my biggest moment of doing it, because no one’s ever done what I’ve done. And I think people really needed to understand that.”
Wilson’s TIME honor arrives less than two months after she and the Aces swept the Phoenix Mercury to win the WNBA championship back in October — her third ring and second Finals MVP. In that series, she averaged 28.5 points, 11.8 rebounds, four assists, and two blocks — a performance that locked in one of the greatest postseason runs we’ve seen in years.
The South Carolina native is also coming off a string of off-court wins, including releasing her signature Nike A’One shoe, dropping a clothing line, and becoming a New York Times bestselling author with “Dear Black Girls.” Add endorsement deals, viral moments with legends like Beyoncé and LeBron James, and an ever-growing global fanbase — and Wilson’s influence has clearly pushed well past basketball.
Why is A’ja Wilson embracing the Michael Jordan comparison?
Elsewhere in TIME’s story is one of Wilson’s most headline-ready reflections yet. When asked how many more championships she believes are in her future, she said, “I think I can do three more.” She then leaned into a comparison many have hesitated to make out loud: the Michael Jordan parallel. “That right there is everything I want,” she said. “Give me rings. Let me take the picture and really show off who I am. I don’t want to have to be somebody that’s like, ‘Yep, I’m A’ja Wilson, everybody.’ I could also hold this aura and impact where everyone’s like, ‘Oh no, that’s A’ja Wilson.’ And I don’t have to say a word.”
And considering the history she’s already rewritten, who’s betting against her?