Is It Too Early to Consider A'ja Wilson the "GOAT"?

 

Fresh off a standout performance when the Las Vegas Aces hosted the Seattle Storm last night, A'ja Wilson has continued to prove that she is seriously one of the greatest female basketball players the world has ever seen.

Building One of the Greatest Resumes in WNBA History

In just 8 seasons playing professionally in the WNBA (not including this season which is her 9th), A'ja Wilson has not only earned, but in a way collected awards and accolades, making it seem easy. From her rookie season to her eighth season with the Las Vegas Aces, Wilson has achieved the following honors and awards, not to mention numerous other WNBA records.

  • Rookie of the Year and All-Rookie (2018)
  • 7x All-Star (2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025)
  • 6x All-WNBA (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025)
  • 5x All-Defensive (2020, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025)
  • 4x MVP (2020, 2022, 2024, 2025)
  • 3x Defensive Player of the Year (2022, 2023, 2025)
  • 3x WNBA Champion (2022, 2023, 2025)
  • 2x WNBA Finals MVP (2023, 2025)
Although previously listed are many major awards, the list goes on and on with other special accolades such as Blocks Champion, Scoring Champion, Gold Medals, etc. These achievements thus further prove Wilson's standing among all-time greats.

The Latest Reminder of Her Dominance

On a more recent note, Wilson once again proved herself as a WNBA legend in the making with an absolute clinic in her most recent game (June 8, 2026). Regardless of her past awards and accomplishments, Wilson is still actively playing at an MVP level and is arguably still on the climb to hit her peak. We are reminded of this relentless style of play and mindset in her showcase against the Seattle Storm last night. The greatest contributor to the Aces' 10-point victory over the Storm alongside Jackie Young, Wilson had it all going for her in this matchup. Putting up a thunderous 34-point 12-rebound double-double, Wilson made the Seattle Storm pay on both ends of the court whether it was her effortless takes to the basket, or 3 blocks that accompanied her dominant rebounding. On top of that, Wilson was so close to recording her 18th career triple-double as she also contributed to the Aces' offense with her 9 assists. While these surface-level stats prove Wilson's ability to change the game through her scoring, passing, and rebounding, she does so with great efficiency as she converted 10/19 (approximately 53%) of her shots from the field while also making 3/5 of her threes (60%). While her points and rebounds are eye-catching, Wilson's shooting splits reveal an even greater level of dominance, proving her impact extends far beyond the traditional box score.

Does Wilson Stack Up Close with Other All-Time Greats?

What's Left to Prove for Wilson?

As the high expectations for Wilson's career continue, the key to keeping up with the "GOAT" talks is longevity. With WNBA legends like Diana Taurasi, Lisa Leslie, and Candace Parker having played at least 10 years in the W, longevity was certainly on their side as they saw so much success for such a long time. However, after the 2025 WNBA Season, A'ja Wilson has now surpassed Sheryl Swoopes, Lisa Leslie, and Lauren Jackson with the most MVP Awards in WNBA History (4). The remarkable thing about this is not only does Wilson now hold the record alone with no one seemingly on the rise to pass her any time soon, but she also did so in just her eighth season in the WNBA. While longevity may have been beneficial for such players to get their names in the conversation as WNBA legends, if A'ja Wilson can keep up the pace, at this rate, she could perhaps have 7 or 8 MVP's by her fifteenth season (assuming she plays for that long). With this in mind and hopes that no injuries cross Wilson's path, it is surely safe to assume Wilson can truly he considered the greatest of all time. Additionally, if Wilson continues with such momentum, achieving other accolades such as climbing the All-Time Scoring list and All-Time Rebounding list would also be beneficial to Wilson's status as the "GOAT."

The Verdict

With all these things in mind, A'ja Wilson still has a lot left in her career to simply play out as well as earn. Despite all of her recognitions and awards, it still may be a little early to crown Wilson with the "GOAT" tag, though it is absolutely justifiable to bring her up in such conversations already. That said, assuming Wilson proceeds with building on her success, we as fans have a lot to look forward to as we continue to watch Wilson's historic career keep unfolding in real time. 

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