Last season, the Las Vegas Aces were nearly unstoppable, riding a five-game winning streak and making their championship run look easy. But 2025? It hasn’t exactly started the same way. For a team accustomed to leading the pack, a 3-2 record and a No. 5 spot in the standings is far from ideal — especially for the reigning back-to-back WNBA champions. But after a gritty win over the LA Sparks, it feels like the Aces are finally finding their rhythm, and A’ja Wilson is making sure everyone knows it.
This momentum shift comes after the Aces suffered a tough loss to a familiar foe—the Seattle Storm, the very team they swept 2-0 in the first round of last year’s playoffs. But this time, things were different. When the Aces stepped into Climate Pledge Arena, it was Seattle who delivered the statement win, cruising to a dominant 102-82 victory. Now, as the Aces prepare for a rematch on June 2, they’re hungrier than ever for redemption.
“Get off like we sent them home,” A’ja Wilson said in a postgame press conference. “They have that… they have an angry locker room. I think they want that chip on their shoulder. So I think it’s good for us and for every team to know that it’s bigger than what we may be expecting—and we’ve got all those standards.” And make no mistake, this wasn’t just a casual warning.
May 23, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Aces guard Jewell Loyd (24) celebrates hitting a game-winning three-point basket against the Washington Mystics in the fourth quarter of their game at Michelob Ultra Arena. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images
Especially now, with the Aces coming off a convincing win over the Sparks while Seattle just suffered a loss, the timing couldn’t be better. The Aces have clearly made adjustments in their last two games. When they faced the Storm, they struggled to keep up with Seattle’s firepower, shooting just 43.9% from the field while the Storm scorched the nets at 60%. But in their bounce-back game against LA, the Aces looked far more in sync, shooting 45.7% overall and a blistering 48% from beyond the arc.
Their three-point shooting was a game-changer: the Aces hit 12 threes compared to just 7 by the Sparks. Even at the free-throw line, they showed sharper focus, converting 87% of their attempts compared to just 75% against Seattle. But the most telling stat? The largest lead. Against the Storm, the Aces never led by more than one point. Seattle, on the other hand, built a 27-point lead at one point. Against LA, though, the Aces flipped the script, holding a 24-point advantage at their peak. So no doubt, the Aces are ready for redemption—especially with A’ja Wilson leading the charge. With her eyes firmly set on another MVP title, she’s not just trying to win games, she’s out to make a statement.
A’ja Wilson’s got an individual motive behind LA’s better record!
The three-time MVP, A’ja Wilson, has never finished outside the top eight in MVP voting her entire career, and now she’s hungry for more. A fourth MVP title is firmly in her sights, and if her recent performance against the Los Angeles Sparks is anything to go by, she’s on a mission. Dropping 35 points and grabbing 13 rebounds, she became the first player in WNBA history to put up at least 30 points, 10 rebounds, three blocks, and three steals in a single game. It was vintage A’ja. Fierce, efficient, and unrelenting.
But even with numbers like those, Wilson is still sitting third in MVP odds this season, trailing Napheesa Collier and Caitlin Clark, who have drawn over 850 votes so far. Does that faze her? Not at all. If anything, it fuels her. Winning the MVP again would make A’ja only the second player in league history to win the award in back-to-back seasons, joining the legendary Cynthia Cooper. But for that to happen, one thing is clear: the Aces need more wins. Well, MVPs don’t just put up stats; they lead winning teams.
And that’s where things get tricky. Especially since Wilson’s competition is Collier, who’s putting up big numbers and leading a 6-0 Minnesota Lynx squad. Not just that, she had even earned 67% of GM votes to win MVP this year. So, the pressure’s on. And Wilson knows it. With Seattle Storm up next, the Aces have a chance to start rewriting the narrative. So here’s the question: Can A’ja Wilson rally her squad, stack up more wins, and close the gap in the MVP race?
The post A’ja Wilson Fires Up Locker Room with Bold Message to Seattle as LV Aces Prepare to Settle Score appeared first on EssentiallySports.
