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A’Ja Wilson is, without question, the best women’s basketball on the planet today.
Wilson, who is the favorite to claim the 2024 WNBA MVP award, has proved as much by averaging 23.5 points and 13 rebounds per game in the first two games of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris for Team USA.
But in the second game, an 87-74 victory over Belgium, Wilson alleges that a referee made a questionable remark to her about controlling her emotions.
“I need to, get my emotions in check (he said), and I think that just heightened my emotions even more because I’m like, ‘How are you going to tell me at my job that I can’t show emotion, passion?’” she said. “So I keep my cool. I continue being me. I keep my cool by understanding who I am and who I have around me, and don’t look back and just keep going.”
But despite the comment, Wilson isn’t planning on changing the way she approaches the game.
“I’m not going to let a defender think that they stopped me. I don’t think I’m ever going to let them off the hook,” she said. “And that’s what I got to keep doing. So to that ref, I’m going to keep yelling. I’m gonna keep screaming. I’m gonna keep fussing, cussing anywhere in-between cheering. Because that’s the game that I play.”
It’s hard to argue with the process. Wilson and reigning WNBA MVP Breanna Stewart have been by far the two best players for the USA team that struggled against the Belgians.
The Team USA women currently have a 57-game win streak in all competitions. They’ll look to continue that streak on Sunday when they square off with Germany in final game of group play.
The Americans are huge favorites to claim gold yet against in Paris.