Dawn Staley celebrated A’ja Wilson’s historic fourth WNBA MVP on social media, calling it amazing that she achieved MVP in half the years she’s been in the league. But Staley isn’t alone in recognizing Wilson’s greatness. Rival college coaches across the country offered their perspective on what makes the Las Vegas Aces star different from everyone else.
What Makes A’ja Wilson Different From Other Greats?
On an X post from Just Women’s Sports, rival coaches across women’s college basketball weighed in on Wilson’s MVP achievement with remarkably consistent themes about her dominance and character.
Iowa head coach Jan Jensen emphasized Wilson’s mental approach over physical gifts, saying, “A’ja is just so versatile, right? But it’s her drive, right? I mean, that emotion that she plays with, that tenacity, and she pretty much always just, you know, stays pretty focused.”
She continued mentioning Wilson’s value as a blueprint for young players studying the game. “What you can learn as a player watching her is that she does everything and then some with passion and goes hard. And I just think she’s also pretty electric to watch.”
College coaches and players give A’ja Wilson her flowers 💐 pic.twitter.com/AO9xtBXGeG
— Just Women’s Sports (@justwsports) October 9, 2025
UCLA’s center Lauren Betts broke down the technical reasons Wilson is nearly impossible to defend at any spot on the floor, saying, “She’s just so skilled on every single part of the floor. I mean, she’s just very efficient. She’s super strong. She’s athletic. She can finish through contact.”
UCLA’s guard Kiki Rice looked ahead to Wilson’s legacy, connecting another championship to her place in history, saying, “Another championship would just put kind of Cherry on top of their season. But yeah, she’s, I think by the end of her career, I don’t see why she shouldn’t be really up there, one of the best women’s basketball players of all time.”
Michigan’s guard Syla Swords framed Wilson’s season in narrative terms, pointing to the Aces’ midseason struggles before their dominant Finals run, saying, “I think it would just be a perfect story. It’s a GOAT story. Like your team’s going from mid-bottom of the league to WNBA champions. And that’s just something that’s a GOAT story. There’s no other way to describe it.”
UCLA head coach Cori Close drew from personal experience coaching Wilson at USA Basketball’s U23 program, identifying an intangible quality that elevates her beyond pure talent.
“I got a chance to coach her at U23s in USA Basketball, and she was really young then. And something I admired then, I still admire now, is that everybody wants to be around her, and her infectious confidence makes everybody better around her.” She said.
Iowa’s forward Hannah Steulke observed something often overlooked when discussing dominant athletes: Wilson’s emotional authenticity despite her superiority over competitors.
Phoenix clawed back from a double-digit deficit, but then, A’ja Wilson happened.
Will Vegas walk away tonight as champions? Or, will Phoenix defy the odds and rally to win four straight?
Watch how it all comes down to tonight in the full Episode 3 of Reign Supreme out now.
— WNBA (@WNBA) October 10, 2025
“She’s so much better than everybody. But she’s really awesome. And what stands out to me the most is how humble she is and how emotional she is when she won MVP. She was so emotional. I just love that about her.” Steulke said.
USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb identified Wilson’s true competitive advantage, saying, “She dominates the first three steps. I had this conversation with Lisa Leslie, one of the greatest post players of all time, that with all of her skills and talents, first and foremost, she’s just going to outwork you and beat you down the floor.”
Ohio State’s guard Kennedy Smith called Wilson a complete player whose composure defines her leadership through adversity.
She said, “I feel like she’s a very versus how player. She does a little bit of everything for her team. Just the way that she stays composed about everything. I think earlier in the season, they were on a losing streak. And for them to come back and be in the finals is honestly amazing. And just what she does for women’s basketball is also something that I inspire.”
Also Read: A’ja Wilson Sends Heartfelt Message to Satou Sabally After WNBA Finals Heartbreak
USC’s guard Jazzy Davidson summarized what everyone else was saying with a simple declaration. “She is definitely one of the greatest players of all time, like there’s no doubt about that.” She said.
Wilson’s fourth MVP in eight seasons is the most in WNBA history, surpassing legends like Sheryl Swoopes, Lisa Leslie, and Lauren Jackson. These rival coaches suggest the performance only tells part of the story. Her work ethic, emotional intelligence, and ability to inspire teammates and opponents define her place in basketball history.
With the Aces one win from another championship, Wilson continues building a legacy that transcends statistics.