Las Vegas Aces forward A'ja Wilson was named the 2026 WNBA Most Valuable Player on October 8, 2026, taking her fifth career MVP award — a league record. She is also the first player in WNBA history to win the honor in three consecutive seasons.
Las Vegas Aces forward A'ja Wilson won the 2026 Kia WNBA Most Valuable Player award, the league announced on October 8, 2026. It is her fifth MVP trophy, breaking her own league record of four, according to WNBA.com and ESPN.
Wilson also became the first player in the WNBA's 30-year history to win the MVP award in three consecutive seasons, following her 2024 and 2025 wins, the league said.
How the voting went
Wilson received 65 of 74 available first-place votes and nine second-place votes, for a total of 713 points, according to WNBA.com. Minnesota's Olivia Miles finished second with 442 points, and Indiana's Kelsey Mitchell was third with 287 points. ESPN reported that Caitlin Clark finished fourth and Breanna Stewart fifth in the voting.
A record-setting regular season
Across 41 games this season, Wilson averaged 26.2 points, 9.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.9 blocks and 1.4 steals per game over 32.0 minutes, per the official WNBA release. She led the league in scoring for a third consecutive year and in blocks for a fifth straight season.
Wilson shot 52.7% from the field and 86.4% from the free-throw line, according to ESPN. The league and ESPN both reported she became the first WNBA player to average at least 25 points per game while shooting 50% or better from the field and 40% or better from three-point range in a single season.
Her 26.2 points-per-game average is the second-highest single-season mark in WNBA history, behind her own total from two seasons earlier, ESPN reported. WNBA.com added that her career scoring average of 22.1 points per game is now the highest in league history.
A'ja Wilson, 2026 regular season
Statistic
Value
Games played
41 of 44
Points per game
26.2 (league leader)
Rebounds per game
9.4
Assists per game
3.2
Blocks per game
1.9 (league leader)
Field goal percentage
52.7%
Free throw percentage
86.4%
First-place MVP votes
65 of 74
Team context and historical standing
The Aces finished the regular season 31-13, securing the third playoff seed, according to WNBA.com. Wilson's fifth MVP award extends a record she already held alone with four, while her third straight MVP surpasses the previous record for consecutive awards — two, held solely by Cynthia Cooper, who won in 1997 and 1998, according to the league's release.
ESPN reported that Wilson's five MVP awards put her alongside NBA figures Michael Jordan and Bill Russell among the handful of players across major U.S. professional sports leagues to win five or more MVP trophies.
Take her off Mount Rushmore, she's Everest.
— Aces head coach Becky Hammon, quoted by ESPN
What's known and what's ahead
The award announcement came as the Aces prepared for the WNBA playoffs, where the team entered as the No. 3 seed, according to WNBA.com. Neither ESPN nor WNBA.com reported Wilson's own remarks on the award at the time of the announcement; the Aces' postseason results were not yet determined when the MVP was announced.
Questions
How many MVP awards has A'ja Wilson won?
Wilson has won five WNBA MVP awards, a league record, following the October 8, 2026 announcement for the 2026 season, according to WNBA.com and ESPN.
What made her 2026 season historic besides the MVP count?
She became the first player in WNBA history to win three consecutive MVP awards, and the first to average 25+ points per game while shooting 50% from the field and 40% from three-point range in the same season, per the league's release.
How did the MVP voting break down?
Wilson received 65 of 74 first-place votes for 713 total points; Olivia Miles was second with 442 points and Kelsey Mitchell third with 287 points, according to WNBA.com.
What are Wilson's key stats for the 2026 season?
In 41 games she averaged 26.2 points, 9.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.9 blocks per game, leading the league in both scoring and blocks, per WNBA.com.
How did the Las Vegas Aces finish the regular season?
The Aces finished 31-13 and earned the No. 3 seed heading into the WNBA playoffs, according to WNBA.com.
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