A’ja Wilson is a WNBA superstar and rightfully so: she took the regular season MVP award for the third time thanks to her briliant work with Las Vegas Aces.
Even though that was not enough for her team to go deep into the playoffs (the Aces were eliminated in Game 4 of the WNBA Semifinals by the New York Liberty), Wilson still shone and showed why she’s considered one of the best to ever do it.
A’ja Wilson reveals what she really feels when she gets called the LeBron James of the WNBA
In a recent interview with The Wall Street Journal Magazine, the USA Women’s Basketball star was asked about the fact that she gets called the ‘LeBron James’ of the WNBA.
“Talk about a crown that’s heavy, I feel that what it is but I try to wear it with grace. When it came to LeBron in his career and his journey, he did things on his time, his way. People try to mold him and cookie cut him and put him in this box.And I feel like ever year Bron constantly showed up and showed people why you will never put him in a box”.
A’ja Wilson added that when people compare her to James, when it comes to the WNBA, she feels like that.
“Not necessarily the style of play, but just more so of like, when people see me and they see me play, they see someone that has put a lot of passion into the game. But I also never lose sight of the fun, like it’s a game at the end of the day. And then obviously if you’re compared to LeBron James, you’re doing something right.”
Not even Clark and Reese may be able to save WNBA
At this moment, the WNBA is arguably at its highest point ever. The league is littered with talented players, and new stars continue to enter the league, bringing along plenty of new fans who have followed them from college. That is especially true with the 2024 draft class, which featured Caitlin Clark, Cameron Brink, Angel Reese and more.
With so many stars and recognizable faces, WNBA executives are hopeful for the future. Despite that, not everyone with investment stakes in the league is overly thrilled. The reason? The WNBA is operating at a loss and expected to lose $40 million by the end of this season, according to a report from the New York Post.
Given that a large percentage of WNBA franchises are at least partly owned by NBA owners, those same owners are patiently waiting to see a return on investment that hasn’t come yet.
