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A’ja Wilson favored for another WNBA MVP in GM poll

By Thomson Reuters May 5, 2026 | 6:24 PM

Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson became the first woman to win four WNBA Most Valuable Player awards last year, and those around the league ​feel there’s nothing stopping her from claiming a ‌fifth.

A majority of the league’s general managers picked Wilson as the MVP favorite in the WNBA GM Survey, released Tuesday by the league.

Wilson collected 60% of the votes, or nine out of the 15 general ‌managers, ​who were not allowed to vote ⁠for their own players ⁠or coaches in the 42-question survey.

After Wilson was New York Liberty veteran and two-time MVP Breanna Stewart, who received 27% of the votes (four of 15). The other single votes ​went to Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark and Atlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray, neither of whom has won ⁠an MVP to date.

Wilson was the ⁠league’s MVP in 2020, 2022, 2024 and 2025. ​Last year, she put up averages of 23.4 points, 10.2 ​rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.3 blocks and 1.6 steals across ‌40 regular-season games before leading the Aces to their third WNBA championship in four years.

A three-time Defensive Player of the Year, Wilson was also voted the league’s defensive player (53%). The ⁠GMs also named her the league’s best leader (79%), best interior defender (73%) and the player who forces opposing coaches to make the ⁠most adjustments (60%).

Wilson’s Aces ‌were the most common pick among GMs ⁠to win the 2026 title (40%), ahead of the ​Liberty (33%).

The ‌GMs preferred No. 2 overall draft pick ​Olivia Miles ⁠of the Minnesota Lynx over No. 1 pick Azzi Fudd of the Dallas Wings as the likely WNBA Rookie of the Year. In fact, Miles was the overwhelming pick at 73%, ahead of Fudd’s 20% of the vote.

The regular season begins ​Friday.

–Field Level Media