Dream Star Calls Out Home Crowd for A'ja Wilson 'MVP' Chants
The fight for the No. 2 spot in the WNBA standings played out Wednesday as the Atlanta Dream hosted the Las Vegas Aces at Gateway Center Arena at College Park. Two of the league’s MVP candidates — the Aces’ A’ja Wilson and the Dream’s Allisha Gray — went head-to-head. The red-hot Aces entered the contest as small underdogs, while the Dream were favored at home.
WHO’S YOUR MVP?
— I talk hoops 🏀 (@trendyhoopstars) August 25, 2025
DROP YOUR PICKS BELOW! 👀✨ pic.twitter.com/Io50PlK9vX
The game was tightly contested until the third quarter, where the momentum shifted, and the Aces went on a run to take a comfortable lead which, surprisingly, drew loud cheers from fans inside the Atlanta arena.
The reception for the opposing team didn’t sit well with Atlanta guard Rhyne Howard, who voiced her frustration afterward in the post game interview.
“This is a challenge,” Howard told media members. “We rely on our fans and when they pick and choose who they want to cheer for and make it feel like an away game for us and a home game for the other team it’s easy to go on a run like that, especially with playoffs coming up.”
Rhyne Howard said it's hard to compete when the home fans aren't on your side.
— No Cap Space WBB (@NoCapSpaceWBB) August 28, 2025
"You wanna come see Gamecocks, we have Gamecocks on our roster. " pic.twitter.com/EWvBUp2KJQ
Fans in the Atlanta Dream Arena Chant 'MVP' for Opposing Team's Star A'ja Wilson
Despite fans at Gateway Center leaning toward Las Vegas, Atlanta stayed in striking distance. But in the final minute of the game, with Wilson at the free-throw line looking to seal the win, chants of “MVP” erupted across the arena for the Las Vegas star.
A’ja at the line has the crowd chanting MVP in Atlanta just before closing the win against the Dream
— Rosalina Lee (@YoitsRosie) August 28, 2025
The outpouring wasn’t random: Georgia borders South Carolina, Wilson’s alma mater, and many in attendance were likely longtime Gamecock fans.
Ironically, Gray — whose standout season has pushed her into MVP discussions — is also a former Gamecock.
Allisha Gray and A’ja Wilson were a dynamic Gamecock duo 🤞
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) August 19, 2025
From teammates and champions in college to opponents in the W 🤝#NCAAWBB x @gamecockwbb pic.twitter.com/0RFSJcoDZL
“You want to see Gamecocks, we have Gamecocks on our roster. The last game we had ‘MVP’ chants for one of our players,” Howard said after the game.
She went on to bluntly state, “Don’t get here and switch up because of one player. And yes, we do make mistakes, but it’s easy to lose momentum when you have other people cheering against you.”
Whether the momentum was shifted by fans in the arena or not, in the end the Aces secured the win 81-75 over the Dream and tightened their grip on the No. 2 seed—winning a 12th straight game in the process.
That as Wilson put up yet another MVP level performance, one which was clearly received favorably by the supposed road crowd.
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Rosalina Lee is one of the premiere content creators in the women’s basketball space. She has written for such companies as Red Bull Sports and has teamed up with notable brands such as Madison Square Garden, going behind the scenes with the New York Knicks and Rangers. She is currently offering analysis and fresh takes into the world of women’s basketball on her YouTube channel, and now with Indiana Fever On SI and Women's Fastbreak On SI, keeping fans in the loop with all the latest action!
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