A’ja Wilson named WNBA Most Valuable Player

NEW YORK – Las Vegas Aces forward A’ja Wilson has been named the 2020 WNBA Most Valuable Player, the WNBA announced today. This is the first WNBA Most Valuable Award for Wilson, who was the 2018 WNBA Rookie of the Year and a WNBA All-Star selection in 2018 and 2019.

The former Gamecock received 43 of 47 first-place votes and 458 total points from a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. Seattle Storm forward Breanna Stewart, the 2018 WNBA Most Valuable Player, finished in second place with 308 points (three first-place votes). Los Angeles Sparks forward-center Candace Parker, a two-time WNBA MVP, finished in third place with 219 points. Finishing in fourth and fifth place, respectively, were Chicago Sky guard Courtney Vandersloot (135 points; one first-place vote) and Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier (36 points).

Players were awarded 10 points for a first-place vote, seven points for a second-place vote, five points for a third-place vote, three points for a fourth-place vote and one point for a fifth-place vote.