A'ja Wilson turns 30: Why the Aces star may already be the WNBA's GOAT
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- A'ja Wilson turns 30 Saturday when the Las Vegas Aces host the Minnesota Lynx at 1 p.m. ET on CBS, entering the milestone with four WNBA MVP awards — the most in league history — and three championships.
- Wilson has scored 6,491 career points before turning 30, more than any player in WNBA history at the same age (Lauren Jackson had 5,757, Diana Taurasi 5,444), and owns the league's all-time career scoring average at 21.9 points per game.
- Wilson's defensive résumé is just as decorated, with three Defensive Player of the Year awards, five seasons leading the WNBA in blocks per game, and 591 career blocks — sixth-most in league history.
- Wilson told CBS Sports her drive comes from critics: 'My haters. I really do love proving people wrong... there's nothing like showing up as your true self in life.'
- Wilson is chasing her fourth WNBA championship this season, which would tie her with Cynthia Cooper, Maya Moore, Sheryl Swoopes and Sue Bird; teammate Chelsea Gray would become the first player in league history with five rings if Las Vegas wins.
- Diana Taurasi retired as the WNBA's all-time leading scorer with 10,646 points, six Olympic gold medals and three titles — the longevity benchmarks Wilson still has prime years to chase.
Why it matters: Wilson's GOAT case rests on an unprecedented combination of four MVPs, three DPOYs, and the WNBA's all-time career scoring average — all achieved before age 30, with no WNBA player in history matching that volume of individual accolades that young. The remaining gap is Diana Taurasi's 10,646 career points and three titles, benchmarks Wilson's prime years could realistically erase.
