A’ja Wilson is one of the most lethal players in the WNBA right now. The nine-year WNBA veteran has led her team, the Las Vegas Aces, to three WNBA championships in her career so far. Her career averages of 21.4 points and 9.3 rebounds per game make her a nightmare for opponents.
Wilson significantly tilts the odds in her team’s favor whenever she is on the floor. That’s why her recent comments projecting herself and the Aces as underdogs didn’t sit well with WNBA fans, who wasted no time ripping through her remarks.
Why Las Vegas Aces Star A’ja Wilson Is Facing Backlash Over Her “Prove People Wrong” Mindset
Wilson is gearing up for her ninth WNBA season, and everyone expects her to be a formidable force when she returns to the court. Last year, Wilson’s unprecedented performance in the regular season led the Aces on a 16-0 run that ultimately secured them a playoff berth after a mid-season slump.
She powered the Aces to their third title in four years in 2025, closing out a 4-0 sweep of the Phoenix Mercury with a Finals run in which she averaged 28.5 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 4 assists.
Across the regular season, she put up 23.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 3.1 assists, and became the first player in league history to win the scoring title, MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and Finals MVP in the same year.
One of the defining moments came in Game 3 of the Finals, when she hit a game-winner in the final second to cap a 34-point night, which only added to the sense that the Aces were operating a level above most teams.
And it’s not like she’s doing it alone. The Aces boast elite talent, including Chelsea Gray, Jewell Loyd, and Jackie Young, which is a core capable of flipping any game on its head.
The franchise hasn’t missed the playoffs since 2018, their first season in Las Vegas.
When Wilson was asked during Aces Media Day on April 28 about her motivation, her answer raised eyebrows:
“The real answer? I like making people mad. I like proving people wrong. I like to let people just burn because me and my team are doing great or they never could’ve imagined me or my team in this situation. That’s the real answer. The politically correct answer? The youth. The kids make me go!” Wilson said.
A’ja Wilson on what keeps her motivated to keep playing:
“The real answer? I like making people mad. I like proving people wrong. I like to let people just burn because me and my team are doing great or they never could’ve imagined me or my team in this situation. That’s the… pic.twitter.com/Airqloylej
— Heat Central (@HeatCulture13) April 28, 2026
That “prove people wrong” angle didn’t land the way she might have expected for a team widely seen as a perennial powerhouse. The WNBA community is all over it, and the reactions were brutal.
Ken Swift took a dig, writing, “The Aces are literally predicted to be in the finals every year. What’s with this underdog narrative?”
The Aces are literally predicted to be the in the finals every year. What’s with this underdog narrative? https://t.co/AVHAXXQgZY
— Ken Swift (@kenswift) April 29, 2026
Another account, WHoopsBball, added, “Right?! They’ve had four gold medalist from the most recent Olympics on the team every year since 2021.”
Right?! They’ve had four gold medalist from the most recent Olympics on the team every year since 2021.
— W Hoops Podcast (@WHoopsBball) April 29, 2026
Another user took a measured take: “To her credit not a lot of people had the aces winning the title last year before the playoffs started… I think last year it might have been her most impressive title.”
Another user commented, “Once again she adds to the reasons for people to think she’s unlikeable. Her basketball skill is great, her personality is obnoxious.”
Once again she adds to the reasons for people to think she’s unlikeable. Her basketball skill is great, her personality is obnoxious.
— Shira (@shiradotnet) April 29, 2026
The Aces are not seen as underdogs by anyone outside their locker room, and that is why Wilson’s “prove people wrong” approach drew as much attention as it did.
From the outside looking in, this isn’t an underdog story but a dynasty, or at least, something very close.
With Wilson leading the charge and a stacked roster that also includes players like Cheyenne Parker-Tyus, the Aces enter the 2026 season as one of the teams heavily favored for the WNBA title.
