A'ja Wilson Update Surfaces Before Valkyries Game
Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson missed Thursday’s game against the Washington Mystics with a right wrist injury sustained against the New York Liberty earlier in the week. A three-time WNBA MVP and the reigning unanimous winner of that award, Wilson is considered by many to be the league’s best player.
In 16 games this season, Wilson is averaging 20.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 3.3 assists. Despite this production, Las Vegas is just 9-11 on the season. The team is 8-8 when Wilson plays.
As the Aces prepare for a game against the Golden State Valkyries on Saturday, a team they trail by 1.5 games in the Western Conference, all eyes are on the status of Wilson.
While the reigning MVP was seen at a recent shoot-around sporting a brace on her right wrist, which indicated she could be further from a return than fans had hoped, her status for Saturday was officially labeled questionable.
"A’ja Wilson (right wrist) is questionable for tomorrow’s game vs. the Golden State Valkyries," Callie Fin of Las Vegas Review-Journal reported on X. "Based on Becky Hammon’s comments yesterday, I’d anticipate the 3-time MVP will continue her recovery and be ruled out closer to tipoff."
A’ja Wilson (right wrist) is questionable for tomorrow’s game vs. the Golden State Valkyries.
— Callie Fin (@CallieJLaw) July 11, 2025
Based on Becky Hammon’s comments yesterday, I’d anticipate the 3-time MVP will continue her recovery and be ruled out closer to tipoff.
While it initially seemed Wilson was trending toward remaining out for this game against the Valkyries, despite the questionable status, a new update emerged pregame. Not only was the reigning MVP seen on the floor warming up about an hour before tip-off, but she was doing so without a brace on her injured wrist.
"The three-time WNBA MVP, she is warming up behind me," Tiffany Blackmon of CBS Sports reported pregame. "She is still questionable going into this matchup. She is dealing with a right wrist sprain that she suffered in their game on Tuesday. She is warming up. She has that wrist taped up. Reminder, she shoots left-handed. But she has been dribbling some."
.@tiffblackmon gives an injury update on A'ja Wilson. pic.twitter.com/OPue59vgBV
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) July 12, 2025
For Aces fans, this was an encouraging sign regardless of the final word on Wilson's status. Her feeling good enough to try the wrist out pregame indicated the issue was not too serious. Blackmon added that Aces head coach Becky Hammon always wants to lean toward Wilson playing, but also had to make sure the star center was good enough physically to do so.
Shortly after this update, it was confirmed by the team that Wilson would play and start.
Joey Linn is a credentialed writer covering the NBA and WNBA for On SI. Covering the LA Clippers independently in 2018, then for Fansided and 213Hoops from 2019-2021, Joey joined On SI to cover the Clippers after the 2020-21 season. Graduating from Biola University in 2022 with a Communication Studies degree, Joey served as Biola's play-by-play announcer for their basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams. Joey's work on Biola's broadcasts and in the classroom earned him the Outstanding Communication Studies Student of the year award in 2022. Joey covers the NBA full-time, primarily serving as a Clippers beat writer.