Aces' A'ja Wilson Needs To Be Evaluated Before Friday Game Against Seattle Storm
Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Harmon announced Thursday afternoon three-time WNBA Most Valuable Player A'ja Wilson will still need to be evaluated to determine her status for the Friday night game against the Seattle Storm at the Michelob Ultra Arena.
Wilson was placed in the concussion protocol after being evaluated by a physician. She was seen leaving the Aces' headquarters after a closed-door practice session Thursday. She has officially been listed on the team's injury report, which was released Thursday night, as questionable.
The center has missed the last three games since taking a fist to the face from former teammate Dearica Hamby during the third quarter of the team's 97-89 loss to the Los Angeles Sparks on June 11.
“She was here. We’re still in evaluation mode with her,” Aces coach Becky Hammon told the Review-Journal. “I think there’s a process she has to go through.”
Hammon was queried by the media throng later on and offered a similar response.
“She’s passing her next test, I guess, or whatever,” Hammon said. “So we’ll see.”
Wilson is averaging 20.9 points, 9.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 2.0 steals and 2.6 blocks per game while shooting 43.3 percent from the field prior to the injury. With her out of the lineup, the Aces will rely heavily on Jackie Young, Chelsea Gray and Jewell Loyd to carry the scoring load on offense.
Las Vegas has gone 1-2 without Wilson. They squeezed out a narrow win over the Dallas Wings, who happen to have the worst record in the league. They lost to the Phoenix Mercury and the Minnesota Lynx. The Aces are struggling at 5-6 on the season and need to get back on track if they have any hopes of competing for a championship.
The team also announced Megan Gustafson will miss the game with a lower left leg injury.
Scott Salomon joined On SI in April 2024, covering breaking news and analysis for various On SI channels. Scott covers the NFL, College Football, MLB, and the WNBA. Scott has been covering local and national sports for over 35 years. Scott graduated from the University of Miami School of Communication and the St. Thomas University School of Law. Scott is also a member of the PFWA and the FWAA. Follow Scott Salomon on X @ScottSalomonNFL.