A'ja Wilson earns third straight WNBA MVP, a record fifth overall

The Las Vegas Aces star topped voting, led the league in scoring and blocks, and received a congratulatory message from former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris.

By Felo News Desk · Published Fri, 09 Oct 2026 12:15:17 GMT

A'ja Wilson was named the 2026 WNBA Most Valuable Player on Thursday, making her the first player ever to win three straight MVP awards and the league's all‑time leader with five trophies, according to Bleacher Report and Al Jazeera.

What happened

Voting results released by the WNBA showed Wilson as the overwhelming favorite. She led the league with 26.2 points per game and 1.9 blocks per game, while ranking fifth in rebounds. The Las Vegas Aces finished the regular season third overall, just two games behind the No. 1‑seeded Minnesota Lynx. On‑court net rating with Wilson was +13.6, dropping to –11.1 when she was off the floor, per the league’s statistics site.

What the reports add

Bleacher Report listed the runner‑up vote‑getters: Lynx guard Olivia Miles (who averaged 19.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.3 steals in 40 games), Indiana Fever guards Kelsey Mitchell and Caitlin Clark, and New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart.
Al Jazeera noted that Wilson received a voice message from former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, who praised her “defining greatness” and congratulated her on the fifth MVP.
The Al Jazeera piece recalled Wilson’s previous MVP seasons in 2020 and 2022.
Wilson shot nearly 53 % from the field, averaged 9.4 rebounds, a career‑best 3.2 assists and 1.9 blocks per game.
Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, Aces owner Mark Davis and team President Nikki Fargas accompanied Wilson’s mother, Eva, who presented the trophy.
The Aces remain in the semifinals, down 2‑0 in a best‑of‑five series against the Golden State Valkyries, with Game 3 scheduled for Friday.

What was said

“Obviously, that is an honour. A woman of our history, and I’m so appreciative to be able to share that moment with her through the phone call and the message of her delivering that I won my fifth MVP.”

— A'ja Wilson, Al Jazeera

“Each one of these has not been taken lightly,” Wilson said while flanked by all five of her MVP trophies. “In my heart, they’ve always been so special. But this one here, I cried a little bit harder. This one here is just a little bit different… When you dream as a young girl, you dream so big and you write your goals out, and you just never imagine that you were able to just check them off.”

— A'ja Wilson, Al Jazeera

“This is great. I love it, not going to take for granted, shine her up, let’s do it.”

— A'ja Wilson, Al Jazeera, speaking about the upcoming Game 3.

How it came about

Wilson’s MVP run follows a season in which the Aces remained in contention for the playoffs, as detailed in Felo News’ WNBA Playoff Race 2026: Final Week Standings & Predictions. The team’s strong net rating with Wilson on the court and her league‑leading scoring contributed to the Aces finishing just two games shy of the top seed, setting the stage for her historic award.

Key facts

A'ja Wilson won the 2026 WNBA MVP award, her third consecutive and fifth overall. (bleacherreport.com)
Wilson led the league with 26.2 points per game and 1.9 blocks per game. (bleacherreport.com)
The Las Vegas Aces finished third in the standings, two games behind the No. 1 seed. (bleacherreport.com)
Wilson received a congratulatory voice message from former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris. (aljazeera.com)
Runner‑up in MVP voting was Olivia Miles, followed by Kelsey Mitchell, Caitlin Clark and Breanna Stewart. (bleacherreport.com)