Sports · NEWS EXPLAINER
A'ja Wilson Wins AP WNBA Player of the Year for a Third Straight Season
The Las Vegas Aces star took 15 of 17 first-place votes and a record fourth AP honor, but the league's official MVP award is separate.
A'ja Wilson won The Associated Press' 2026 WNBA Player of the Year award on Sunday, becoming the first player to take the honor three seasons in a row. The Las Vegas Aces center received 15 of 17 first-place votes and finished ahead of Olivia Miles, Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell.
The result gives Wilson four AP Player of the Year awards, the most since the honor began in 2016. It does not make her the WNBA's official MVP: the league announces its own postseason awards separately during the playoffs.
A record built on another scoring title
Wilson led the league with 26.2 points per game while shooting nearly 53% from the field. She also averaged 9.4 rebounds, a career-best 3.2 assists and 1.9 blocks, according to the AP report.
The Aces' September 25 team update separately confirmed her 26.2-point scoring title and noted that she finished the regular season with 20 double-doubles. Those numbers give the vote a clear basketball basis without turning the AP result into an official league award.
Why the AP award and WNBA MVP are not the same
The AP award is decided by the 17-member panel that votes in the outlet's weekly power poll. Wilson won 15 first-place votes in that process.
The WNBA runs a separate awards program and is scheduled to announce its postseason honors during the playoffs. Readers should therefore treat Sunday's result as a major media-panel award, not as confirmation of the league MVP.
What the fourth AP win changes
Wilson's fourth AP Player of the Year award breaks her tie with Breanna Stewart for the most since the AP began presenting the honor in 2016. No one had previously won it three consecutive times.
That record is the concrete new development. Any claim about a fifth official WNBA MVP remains prospective until the league releases its own result.
