Mathletic Sports +

By: Logan Griffiths

With the rising talent pool coming into the WNBA, it is important to highlight the greatness that came before Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers.

The topic of discussion today is A’ja Wilson, who is quickly emerging as one of the greatest players of all time and continuously makes a case to be the WNBA’s GOAT after every season.

Here is a list of her accolades as she enters year eight of her career: two championships, three Most Valuable Player awards, two Defensive Player of the Year awards, one WNBA Finals MVP, four All-WNBA First Team selections, one All-WNBA Second Team selection, three All-WNBA Defensive Team selections, All-Rookie Team (2018), six WNBA All-Star appearances and the WNBA single-season rebound record in 2024.

In comparison, if someone in the NBA had such a hot start to their career, they would be the face of the league and on GOAT watch, chasing players like LeBron James and Michael Jordan. But today we aren’t making the case for her to be the GOAT of the WNBA; we are showing her greatness from the 2024 season, when Caitlin Clark took all the spotlight.

To start, let’s show how dominant she was in her position category. For reference, there are only 18 registered centers in the WNBA across the 13 teams.

As we examine Wilson’s historic performance throughout the 2024 season, the following graph illustrates her cumulative rebounds, showcasing how she steadily built toward breaking the WNBA single-season record.

Out of the entire league, Wilson ranked second in rebounds only behind Angel Reese (13.1 rebounds per game), but due to how many games Wilson played in comparison to Reese, she still accumulated more rebounds than her.

Additionally, in comparison to centers, Wilson was miles ahead of the competition in points per game, averaging 26 points per game – while the closest player to her was Brittney Griner with 17 points per game.

Wilson didn’t just lead the centers in scoring, she led the entire league in scoring as a center. To make things better, A’ja Wilson in 2023 averaged 22 points per game, which shows that she made a 4-point jump in 2024, something you love to see from the back-to-back MVP winner.

As a center, she doesn’t often get the chances to contribute as a facilitator, which reduces her chances of getting rebounds. However, she still leads the league in Points + Rebounds + Assists (PRA), which is shocking for someone who only averages 2.3 assists per game.

Being significantly ahead of the competition across the league underscores why Wilson has earned her status as the Most Valuable Player. Her statistical dominance over guards like Sabrina Ionescu, Caitlin Clark and Arike Ogunbowale highlights just how exceptional Wilson’s performance has been.

Wilson’s defensive impact further solidifies her elite status. The Las Vegas star ranked fifth in steals (1.8 per game) while leading the league in blocks (2.6 per game). Despite ranking second in rebounds, fifth in steals and first in blocks, Wilson was edged out for Defensive Player of the Year honors.

The award instead went to Napheesa Collier, who finished third in rebounds (9.7), second in steals (1.9) and sixth in blocks (1.4). Some analysts suggest voter fatigue may have influenced the outcome, as Wilson has consistently dominated individual awards throughout her career.

Here is a graph that shows how Wilson was truly in a world of her own when it comes to steals and blocks.

With all this being said, Wilson had a generational season leading to an MVP and what could have been a Defensive Player of the Year award. To quantify all that she accomplished, we created a radar chart showing how elite she was by comparing her to other centers in the league.

For further explanation of this chart the lower the turnovers (TO) the better as it represents how many the player had.

When expanding our analysis beyond just centers, Wilson’s excellence becomes even more apparent. Let’s now examine how she stacks up against the nine other elite performers across all positions in the WNBA, showcasing why her 2024 campaign places her firmly in the conversation for the greatest individual season in league history.

This graph illustrates how much better Wilson truly is in comparison to the rest of the players in the league. In comparison to the league, she has the most complete and well-rounded statistical profile by a considerable margin, showing that she not only deserved MVP and DPOY but that she truly is the face of the WNBA at this moment, regardless of media attention focused elsewhere.

As the WNBA continues to grow in popularity and visibility, A’ja Wilson’s historic 2024 campaign stands as a testament to her unrivaled excellence. While newcomers like Caitlin Clark have captured headlines and brought new fans to the game, Wilson’s dominance on both ends of the court represents the gold standard for professional women’s basketball.

At just 28 years old and entering the prime of her career, Wilson’s trajectory suggests that her already impressive resume will only continue to expand. The numbers don’t lie – her combination of scoring prowess, defensive versatility and leadership has established her as the benchmark against which all others in the league are measured.

The conversation about the greatest WNBA player of all time remains ongoing, but Wilson’s performance in 2024 has undoubtedly strengthened her case. As the league evolves and new stars emerge, Wilson’s complete game and consistent excellence remind us to appreciate greatness while it’s happening before our eyes.