When Aces players donned A’ja Wilson jerseys ahead of their Game 1 clash against the Liberty on Sunday, it was assumed they were just supporting their MVP and team captain.
However, they were, in fact, protesting Wilson not winning the 2024 Defensive Player of the Year award, which went to Lynx star Napheesa Collier.
After her team’s 87-77 loss, head coach Becky Hammon revealed she was shocked when she saw her players in Wilson jerseys on the bus ride to the arena. She added that certain other players wore Tiffany Haye’s jersey to support her case for the WNBA’s Sixth Woman of the Year award.
“When I was on the bus, I was like ‘Why is everyone wearing jerseys?’ It’s their way of supporting each other,” Hammon said, via Noa Dalzell. “I think it’s their little protest for A’ja not getting DPOY, and it’s probably their support for Tip [Haye] to get Sixth Player. It’s just stating the obvious, I would say. This team has great chemistry. They have a lot of fun together.”
Collier edged out Wilson for the award by just 10 votes (36 to 26) after anchoring one of the league’s best defensive units this season. Minnesota finished second in defensive rating (94.8) and first in opponent field goal percentage (41%) thanks largely to Collier’s rim protection and on-ball defense.
Wilson had a sound case for the award, too. The three-time MVP was first in blocks (2.6), fifth in steals (1.8) and second in rebounds (11.9) to go with her dominance on the offensive side of the ball. However, her Aces finished fifth in defensive rating (99.6) and seventh in opponent field goal percentage (43.3%). As such, voters were justified in rewarding the player from the team who topped most defensive metrics.
While Wilson getting overlooked for the award upset her teammates, the Aces must regroup quickly before Tuesday’s Game 2. The reigning two-time WNBA champions were thoroughly outclassed in Game 1 of the semifinals by a red-hot Liberty team that is now the odds-on favorite to win the title. The Liberty are out for revenge after losing last year’s finals to Wilson’s Aces in four games.
