A'ja Wilson Said Olympics Officials Told Her to Tone Down Emotions
A'ja Wilson wears her emotions on her sleeve. The Las Vegas Aces star plays with obvious passion, though she said that hasn't necessarily been welcomed in her recent stint with Team USA. Wilson has helped lead the squad to wins thus far, in forming a dominant front court tandem with Breanna Stewart. However, A'ja said the officials at the Olympics aren't really a fan of her showing emotion on the court.
Wilson recounted how one official told her to tone down her emotions in the midst of Team USA's win over Belgium. “I need to, get my emotions in check (he said), and I think that just heightened my emotions even more because I’m like, ‘How are you going to tell me at my job that I can’t show emotion, passion?...So I keep my cool. I continue being me. I keep my cool by understanding who I am and who I have around me, and don’t look back and just keep going.”
A'ja added that she doesn't offer similar advice to the refs. “I’m not telling him don’t blow your whistle, like I’m not telling you how to do your job, don’t tell me how to do mine." That while also emphasizing how she will continue to yell, cuss, and fuss on the court.
Whatever Wilson is doing is working. Not only is she the overwhelming favorite to win WNBA MVP, but she is bringing that dominance to international play. A'ja has 47 points and 26 rebounds through two games of competition in the Olympics.
ROBIN LUNDBERG
Robin Lundberg is a media veteran and hoops head who has spent the bulk of his career with iconic brands like Sports Illustrated and ESPN. His insights have also been featured on platforms such as Fox and CNN and he can currently be heard hosting shows for Sirius XM and on his burgeoning YouTube show. And now he brings his basketball expertise to Women's Fastbreak on SI!