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Michael Voepel
Three-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson became the fastest player in league history to reach 5,000 career points, hitting the milestone Wednesday night in the Las Vegas Aces‘ 85-59 victory over the Connecticut Sun.
Wilson did it in her 238th game, ahead of Breanna Stewart (242), Diana Taurasi (243) and Angel McCoughtry (257). She is the 28th player in WNBA history with 5,000 career points. Taurasi, who retired earlier this year after 20 seasons with the Phoenix Mercury, is the WNBA’s career scoring leader with 10,646 points.
Wilson, who started Wednesday night’s game seven points shy of 5,000, scored her seventh and eighth points on a layup with 4:04 left in the second quarter. The crowd at Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas erupted, with fans holding up “5,000” signs. Wilson stayed businesslike in her demeanor but got congratulations from her teammates and the Sun players.
Wilson finished with 22 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals and 3 blocks for the Aces (7-7), who have won two straight after losing five of six. Wilson missed three games while in concussion protocol during that rough stretch.
She came to the postgame news conference Wednesday carrying the shoes she wore in the game. They feature the character Tiana from the 2009 animated film “The Princess and the Frog,” which Wilson said is her favorite movie. She wrote “5K” and the date on the shoes, which will become keepsakes.
“That movie teaches me a lot of lessons,” Wilson said. “And sometimes when I need a pick-me-up, I always watch ‘The Princess and the Frog.’ It’s pretty good. I suggest everyone check it out.”
Wilson has been the star of the Aces’ show since she was drafted No. 1 out of South Carolina in 2018. She was Rookie of the Year then and has won MVP awards in 2020, 2022 and 2024.
“One of the reasons they drafted me was to score the ball in many, many different ways,” Wilson said. “To be the quickest, the fastest [to 5,000], it’s a blessing.”
Wilson, 28, recalled that she scored her first WNBA points on a basket at Connecticut on May 20, 2018, in the Aces’ season opener her rookie year. The Aces were 14-20 that season, but that’s the last time they have had a losing record or missed the playoffs. Wilson led them to WNBA titles in 2022 and 2023.
“We’re talking about points, but she’s equally good on the defensive end,” Aces coach Becky Hammon said. “She’s just a really special player. She wants to be great, and I can coach her hard. And she’s just about winning. She never gets her priorities mixed up.”