WNBA legend Sue Bird had a front-row view of A’ja Wilson’s dominating performance on Saturday against the Phoenix Mercury. By halftime, the reigning four-time MVP already tallied 16 points and 11 rebounds before coasting to a 21-point and 15-rebound night.
With Wilson leading the way, the Las Vegas Aces pummeled the Mercury 106-58. During the halftime break, Bird heaped praise on the two-time WNBA Finals MVP.
A’ja Wilson Receives Glowing Praise From WNBA Legend Sue Bird
Last year, Wilson swept every major WNBA hardware award available. She was named the MVP, the co-Defensive Player of the Year, and the WNBA Finals MVP.
Despite her already Hall of Fame-worthy career, she isn’t resting on her laurels.
This season, she ranks first in points (26.1), third in rebounds (9.7), 10th in steals (1.6), and first in blocks (2.0).
She is on track to defend her MVP and DPOY awards, which could cement Wilson’s status as arguably the best player in WNBA history, and her relentless march to greatness earned her praise from the Hall of Famer.
“She has the size and strength where she was always going to be impactful. But to her credit, she’s always added to her game,” Bird said.
“She knows she’s building a legacy that could go down as one of the greatest.” – Sue Bird on the how dominant Aces’ A’ja Wilson has been in her career.
📺Peacock and NBCSN pic.twitter.com/KHrXXWxl1c— WNBA on NBC and Peacock (@WNBAonNBC) July 11, 2026
“… When she came into the league, you can take away her left hand. You can force her right, and she would have a challenging night. Not anymore. … She knows she’s building a legacy that could go down as one of the greatest.”
Bird underlined how Wilson’s efficiency has improved over the years. In her first four seasons, the Aces superstar shot 46.2%, a figure that spiked to 52.1% in her next five years.
When Wilson won the MVP award last year, she shot 50.5% and averaged 23.4 ppg. In 2026, she is hitting 52.4% of her shots and is posting 26.1 ppg.
Barring an injury, a sweep of the major awards is seemingly inevitable.
Another WNBA legend, Lisa Leslie, also shared her thoughts on Wilson’s dominance on CBS Sports.
“The five-time MVP will be the A’ja Wilson Show because it just continues to keep going. A’ja has been dominating,” Leslie said. “People get tired sometimes of seeing the same person win, but I think we should give it to the person who’s earning it. Right now, it’s A’ja Wilson. Her ability to score in a plethora of ways – the left hand, the right hand, the jumper, the consistency.”
Wilson is still in her prime at 29, yet some are already arguing that she is the greatest women’s basketball player ever. By potentially adding more to her resume down the road, she should only strengthen her resume in the GOAT conversation.
