Dawn Staley Had a Message for A’ja Wilson After Her Historic Fifth WNBA MVP

A’ja Wilson has made WNBA history again, and Dawn Staley made sure her former star knew just how special the moment was.

Wilson, the former South Carolina Gamecocks standout, has won her fifth WNBA Most Valuable Player award, becoming the first player in league history to claim the honor five times.

But this achievement came with another historic milestone.

The Las Vegas Aces superstar also became the first player to win the WNBA MVP award in three consecutive seasons, extending a run that began in 2024.

Staley’s reaction said plenty about the pride she has in the player who helped transform South Carolina women’s basketball.

“And another one! ‘Got their A’jas again A!!’ 1 2 3 4 5…..HANDFUL!!” Staley wrote on X.

The Gamecocks coach also narrated a video celebrating Wilson’s latest accomplishment, shared by the Aces on social media.

For Staley, this is more than another trophy for a former player.

It is another milestone in the career of someone who helped build South Carolina into a national championship program.

Wilson’s numbers tell the story

Wilson did not win her fifth MVP on reputation alone.

The 6-foot-4 star led the WNBA in scoring during the 2026 regular season, averaging 26.2 points per game while shooting 52.7% from the field.

She added 9.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.9 blocks per game, while shooting 40.4% from three-point range.

Her MVP voting was equally convincing.

Wilson received 65 of 74 first-place votes, finishing with 713 points in the voting conducted by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters.

Minnesota Lynx rookie Olivia Miles finished second with 442 points.

Wilson had already set the league record with four MVP awards before this season.

Now, she has pushed that record to five and established a new benchmark with three consecutive wins.

The South Carolina connection runs deep

Before becoming one of the WNBA’s most accomplished players, Wilson spent four seasons playing for Staley at South Carolina from 2014 to 2018.

Their partnership culminated in 2017, when the Gamecocks won the program’s first NCAA women’s basketball national championship.

Wilson also became South Carolina’s first No. 1 overall WNBA Draft pick when the Las Vegas Aces selected her in 2018.

Her college achievements remain central to the program’s history.

She finished her South Carolina career with 2,389 points and 363 blocks, both program records cited in the original report.

The Gamecocks retired her jersey in February 2025, recognizing her lasting impact on the program.

Staley has continued to support Wilson’s professional career, and the coach’s latest celebration came after she publicly backed Wilson’s claim to being the greatest player in WNBA history.

In September, Staley told CBS Sports that Wilson had already earned that distinction, pointing to the historic accomplishments she had accumulated in less than a decade in the league.

One question remains for Wilson and the Aces

Wilson’s individual success arrives while Las Vegas faces a difficult playoff challenge.

According to the latest reports, the Aces trail the Golden State Valkyries 2-0 in their best-of-five WNBA semifinal series.

That puts the defending champions under pressure, despite Wilson’s historic regular season.

The team is pursuing another championship, while Wilson continues adding to a résumé that already includes multiple MVP awards, championships and Defensive Player of the Year honors.

Her fifth MVP further strengthens her place in the league’s historical conversation.

And for South Carolina fans, every new milestone is another reminder of what Staley helped develop in Columbia.

Wilson arrived at South Carolina as a highly regarded recruit and left as a national champion and one of the most decorated players in program history.

Now, she has become the first five-time WNBA MVP.

Staley’s celebratory message was short, but the significance behind it was enormous.

Five MVP awards. Three consecutive seasons. One former Gamecock continuing to rewrite WNBA history.