LAS VEGAS – A’ja Wilson set another all-time mark on Sunday, becoming the first player in WNBA history to record a 30/20 game with a 32-point, 20-rebound performance in the Aces’ 94-86 win over the Connecticut Sun.
Wilson made 13 of her 25 field goal attempts in the historic outing, also tallying five assists while finishing a game-high +17 in the eight-point win. Sunday marked Wilson’s second 20-rebound game in the NBA, after she achieved the feat against the Seattle Storm last July. Wilson also matched her career high with seven offensive rebounds, a mark she’s hit twice in the WNBA but not since June 2021.
“It's huge,” Wilson said. "Caroline (Williams) was telling me that walking here, I didn't even know. Because as many greats as we have in this league, that’s kind of a shocker that it’s just now happening. It's a blessing. I love what I do. I love what I do. I love it so much.
"Anytime that I can come out and just play basketball the way that I love. And the team, we're all getting involved, I'm happy with that. It's pretty cool to have my name in the record books when it comes to that, I'm pretty sure there's going to be a lot following (this) up. It’s pretty cool to kind of be the first one.”
Aces’ coach Becky Hammon was also surprised that Wilson’s 30/20 feat on Sunday was the first such game not only in league history, but from Wilson herself.
“It’s just A’ja being A’ja,” Hammon said. “She’s elite at a lot of different things. I’m surprised she hasn’t had one of these before. She probably could have had one of these in the past. I never really let her go to the offensive glass. This season, we’ve emphasized that a lot more. It’s been helpful in her rebounding numbers too, because now she can go on both ends, where before we had a lot of focus on transition defense.”
How It Happened and What It Means
A win over the league-worst Connecticut Sun on Sunday isn’t a result that a team of the Aces’ caliber will get much respect for. Entering with five wins in their last six games, however, a loss to a struggling franchise like Connecticut could derail all of the momentum that’s been gained the last few weeks.
Despite trailing by as many as 12 points in the second quarter, the Aces managed to tie the game at 45 apiece heading into the break with a 7-0 run over the final three minutes of the frame. Vegas firmly gained control of the game late in the third, going on an 11-2 run late in the quarter to bring an eight-point advantage into the fourth.
From there, Becky Hammon’s rejuvenated crew just had to put a bow on things over the final ten minutes. Unlike the Aces team we saw at other points this season, they did so decisively on Sunday night.
Jackie Young chipped in 21 points on an efficient 9-of-14 from the field, while also dishing out six assists and grabbing four rebounds. Jewel Loyd added 12 points on 3-of-10 shooting, while Dana Evans contributed 10 points on a more palatable 4-of-5 from the field.
