Wilson becomes Las Vegas all-time leading scorer in Aces’ win over Wings

Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson notched an impressive hole in her belt of greatness on Sunday, becoming the franchise’s all-time leading point-scorer with her 28-point, 10-rebound performance in a 104-85 victory over Dallas. The Aces (13-7) have won eight of their last 10 games after a 5-5 start to the season. 

“It’s very special and definitely will be one for the books for me,” Wilson said of the game. “This city welcomed me in 2018, new franchise, new everything, and they took a chance on a kid. [Former Las Vegas head coach Bill Laimbeer] took a chance on me and told me ‘This is your team’ … Then when you have someone like [head coach Becky Hammon] come in and add some razzle-dazzle to the culture, it makes it a full circle moment for me. I would’ve never thought [I would lead a franchise in total points scored], I’m just grateful to be here.” 

Aces forward A’ja Wilson is recognized on the video board after becoming the franchise’s all-time leading scorer. | Photo Credit: Ku’ulei Agbayani, HSRN

The 27-year-old Wilson scored her 4,301st career point with a free throw with 4:14 left to play in the 4th quarter, passing former San Antonio Stars legend Sophia Young-Malcom’s record of 4,300 points. Wilson accomplished the feat in her 209th career game for Las Vegas, 92 games faster than it took the former San Antonio star to reach the 4,300-point threshold.  

“Both are really special players,” Aces head coach Becky Hammon said of her former teammate and Wilson. “One thing that sticks out [about both], for sure, is they both have phenomenal hands. I could throw the ball to Sohpia Young anywhere and she would grab it. A’ja is the same way.”  

The scoring record comes two weeks after Wilson broke Young-Malcom’s franchise rebounding mark with nine boards in a June 29 win over the Mystics. Young-Malcom was in attendance for the game with nearly 50 former players on Sunday for Alumni Weekend, chatting with the Aces’ MVP-caliber forward following the contest. 

“I have to always give it to the ones that laid the foundation down before me and the ones that grinded it out, the ones that had to do extra just to get seen a little bit,” Wilson said. “Now we’re playing on national television and [getting] chartered flights and everything else. It’s a huge deal for me and it’s something that I don’t take for granted but I’m never going to lose sight of the women that literally had to teeth and claw to get a foot in the door.” 

The #1 overall pick in the 2018 WNBA Draft, Wilson has dominated since her days at South Carolina. The 6-foot-4 forward has a laundry list of achievements, a spot in the top ten for nearly every category in Aces’ history and three championships (1 NCAA, 2 WNBA) all dashed across her dazzling resume. 

“She’s the best basketball player in the world,” Hammon said of Wilson. “She pushes the envelope for best person in the world, too … She’s the greatest player to put on a Stars or Aces uniform.”