Getty Image / Paras Griffin
The WNBA is seeing unprecedented popularity this year, largely spurred on by the arrival of Indiana Fever rookie and NCAA all-time leading scorer Caitlin Clark. But, the league’s best player is definitely not Caitlin Clark, and likely is Las Vegas Aces forward A’Ja Wilson.
The defending WNBA Finals MVP and two-time MVP is arguably the best American athlete that no one knows about. Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green thinks that should change, as he thinks that A’Ja Wilson should be the league’s most marketable player.
Currently, that title belongs to Caitlin Clark, without a doubt. Clark was a national sensation at Iowa, consistently smashing viewership records for women’s basketball as she led the Hawkeyes to back-to-back national title games. Her style of play, which most closely resembles a cross between Luka Doncic and Steph Curry, is appealing to the masses. Her logo 3’s are definitely her signature shot, and they have fans all over the country lining up to see them.
But, she’s struggled a little bit to start the year for the 2-9 Indiana Fever after being taken first-overall in the 2024 WNBA Draft.
Meanwhile, A’Ja Wilson has continued her dominance. She’s averaging 26.5 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game. At 27, she’s in the middle of her prime, and she can truly do it all on the basketball court. Wilson has dominated since her time at South Carolina, where she was a national champion and national player of the year.
But, this may be the first time you’ve heard of her, and Draymond Green thinks that’s wrong.
He made this assertion on his podcast, The Draymond Green Show.
“The best thing since sliced bread in the WNBA is A’ja Wilson. I’m not necessarily in the mindset that it’s all Caitlin Clark, no, A’ja Wilson is great. A’ja Wilson to me is the American dream. Coming from a two-parent household, grew, got better, young Black girl, had everything against her, beat the odds to become what soon will be known as the greatest player to ever grace the WNBA. That’s quite honestly my opinion. I think A’ja Wilson is as marketable as anybody in the WNBA, but you have to figure out how to market the product.”
He’s not wrong. A’Ja Wilson should be better known, and the WNBA probably has not done a good enough job getting her publicity.
That could soon change, though. Along with the WNBA getting record TV ratings, Wilson announced that she would be getting her first Nike signature shoe in May. That turned heads at the time, and I expect the shoe to be a hot commodity when it comes out.
For now, A’Ja Wilson is flying under the radar is one of the can’t-miss athletes in the USA right now. Maybe her starring role on Team USA at the Summer Olympics in Paris next month will help change that, too.