Early in the 2026 season, the four-time Most Valuable Player began showcasing her exceptional talent. On Friday, A’ja Wilson, the standout for the Las Vegas Aces, continued to etch her name in the record books by scoring 45 points in a 101-94 victory against the Connecticut Sun, marking her fifth career game with 40 or more points, a new WNBA benchmark.
This achievement allowed Wilson to surpass the previous record, which she had jointly held with Breanna Stewart and Diana Taurasi.
The 45 points Wilson scored on Friday represented the second-highest tally of her professional career, trailing only her 53-point performance in 2023, and notably made her the inaugural player in WNBA history to achieve several games with 45 points or more.
Following the game, Wilson exhibited modesty regarding her outstanding performance, attributing her success to being “patient” in locating opportune shots.
“For me, it’s significant when you can identify scoring opportunities within our strategic framework and simply allow the game’s rhythm to guide you. My aim is to be effective. While accumulating a large number of points is impressive, like, wow, being effective is ultimately what matters most,” Wilson explained.
Her efficiency was, indeed, remarkable: Wilson successfully converted 15 out of 18 attempts from the field, including hitting both of her 3-point shots, while also contributing 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks.
Additionally, Wilson made all 13 of her free-throw attempts, a flawless effort that led teammate Chelsea Gray to congratulate her with a high-five during the post-game press conference.
Subsequent to the match, Aces’ head coach Becky Hammon expressed her admiration for Wilson with greater specificity.
“Honestly, she is extraordinary,” Hammon commented. “Her three-pointers, she just keeps adding those consistently. We got the ball to her frequently in the early stages, which got her momentum building, and from that point, we just kept relying on her exceptional play.”
This victory advances Las Vegas’s record to 3 wins and 1 loss, as the squad prepares to wrap up its four-game away stretch by facing the Atlanta Dream this coming Sunday.
