A'ja Wilson wins unanimous WNBA MVP, joining rare company with third award

(This story was updated to add new information.)

In 28 years of the WNBA, no player has ever led the league in points, rebounds and blocks in the same season.

A’ja Wilson changed that in 2024, as the forward from the Las Vegas Aces totaled a league-best 1,021 points, 451 rebounds and 98 blocks in a sensational display of dominance all season that has led to the 28-year-old winning her third MVP – this time unanimously – as announced by the league Sunday.

Wilson received all 67 first-place votes. Napheesa Collier, of the Minnesota Lynx, got 66 of the 67 second-place votes. They were followed by Breanna Stewart (295 points), Caitlin Clark (130 points), and Alyssa Thomas (83 points).

Before Wilson only one other MVP in league history has earned every top vote: In 1997, Cynthia Cooper was the No. 1 selection on 37 ballots.

The award is the latest addition to a sparkling résumé for Wilson, who led the American women to an unprecedented eighth straight Olympic gold medal in August. Widely considered the best player in the world at both ends of the floor, Wilson was named MVP of the Paris Olympic basketball tournament, too.

Only three other players in WNBA history – Sheryl Swoopes, Lauren Jackson and Lisa Leslie – have won three MVP awards.

On Sept. 15, Wilson became the first player in WNBA history to score 1,000 points in a season.

Earlier this season Wilson set a record when she became the first player to score at least 20 points and grab at least 10 rebounds in eight consecutive games. Despite playing a career high 34.4 minutes per game this season Wilson is having a career year, turning in highs in points per game (26.9), rebounds per game (9.8) and steals per game (1.8). She finished the regular season with the highest scoring average in league history at 26.87, easily surpassing the record of 25.29 set by Diana Taurasi in 2006.

Wilson is the defending defensive player of the year – an award she’s expected to contend for this season, too – and finished third in MVP voting last season. She previously won MVP in 2020 and 2022, and led the Aces to back-to-back WNBA titles the last two seasons.

The Aces entered the 2024 playoffs Sunday as the No. 4 seed against the fifth seeded Seattle Storm. Las Vegas is trying to become the first team since the Houston Comets to win three consecutive titles (Houston won four championships from 1997-2000).

This marks the first time since 2015 that the league MVP did not come from a top three team. That year, Elena Delle Donne took home MVP honors despite the Washington Mystics finishing fourth in the Eastern Conference. Delle Donne averaged 23.4 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.0 blocks that season.

Email Lindsay Schnell at lschnell@usatoday.com and follow her on social media @Lindsay_Schnell

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: A'ja Wilson wins unanimous WNBA MVP; Caitlin Clark was fourth