A'ja's evolution continues during historic chase for 3rd straight MVP

A'ja Wilson has virtually done it all through her first eight WNBA seasons.

Eight All-Star selections. Five All-WNBA first-team nods. Four MVP awards. Three championships. Three Defensive Player of the Year honors. A pair of scoring titles.

Yet, despite her impressive list of accomplishments, plenty of factors are still driving the Las Vegas Aces superstar.

"The opportunity to (win) it all over again. I'm a greedy human being when it comes to success and being great," Wilson told theScore. "And helping this league grow. So whatever that looks like, that's what keeps me going, especially the younger generation.

"Giving them an opportunity to reach something, to go after something. And just having fun while I'm doing it. I think that's the best part about it. I love what I do. I come into work, and I'm excited every single day because it's an opportunity for me to entertain."

Wilson is once again the front-runner for an unprecedented third straight WNBA MVP award and a record-extending fifth trophy overall. It's been mostly business as usual for the former Rookie of the Year, as she leads the league in scoring (26.1 per contest), points in the paint (13.2), and blocks (two). She's also posting career highs in restricted-area field-goal percentage (80.6%) and free-throw attempts (7.6).

But Wilson's 3-point shooting is the one major difference from years past. The 6-foot-4 center knocked down only six triples in four seasons at South Carolina and made no more than 31 treys in a single WNBA campaign. However, she's set to shatter that mark this year, scoring 25 threes on a career-best 44.6% clip through 24 appearances.

Wilson credits all the offseason reps for helping her develop the muscle memory and comfort she needed to become a legitimate 3-point shooter. Her expanded range adds another dimension to the league's second-ranked offense and spreads out opposing defenses. Wilson's now a true three-level scoring threat, which has allowed head coach Becky Hammon to deploy her in different ways.

"Obviously, mixing in some threes helps make her a little bit more unguardable," Hammon told theScore. "I think it opens up her drive a little bit. She can get to that (mid-range jumper) anytime she wants. She's a fun player to kind of experiment with because of the skill set, the speed, the athleticism."

Wilson can hit threes off the catch-and-shoot and in pick-and-pop situations. The threat of her stepping out beyond the arc keeps defenses honest and creates more open pull-up jumpers for Aces guards Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray. Additionally, Hammon has incorporated staggered and pin-down screens to free up Wilson.

Gray, the longtime Aces' floor general, has enjoyed being involved in the new offensive wrinkles that have emerged thanks to Wilson's improved outside stroke.

"Post players aren't used to guarding staggers and pin-downs like that unless they've been known to do that their whole career," Gray told theScore. "It gives a different look and dynamic to our offense when we're setting pin-downs and staggered screens for her.

"And then, when she gets the ball - if they're trailing - she's able to go for an open layup, and that's a guard guarding her. So, she's able to shoot right over the top."

Wilson's been equally enthusiastic about Hammon's innovation.

"I love it. I'm open to trying new things every single year," Wilson said. "When it comes to Becky, her mind is constantly rolling and turning. ... She puts me in different situations to help break down the defense, but also expand my game."

Over the past two seasons, Wilson has taken on a larger role as an offensive initiator. The 29-year-old's 16.5% assist percentage this year ranks as the second-best of her career, and she dropped a personal-best nine dimes against the Seattle Storm in June.

Wilson has the freedom to bring the ball upcourt off a rebound and is frequently used in dribble-handoffs with Young and Gray. Whether it's quickly finding the open shooter out of a double-team or exploiting a one-on-one mismatch, she's learned to react to what the defense gives her.

Hammon praised Wilson's "fairly adventurous" nature and willingness to try anything, saying it could be what gives Las Vegas an edge.

"Giving her different ball-handling responsibilities, different reads, being more of a playmaker - she's capable of all of it," Hammon said. "I never want to be somebody who limits her in any kind of way. To me, the sky's the limit. You want to do some ball-handling? We do ball-handling. You want to do some passing? We can put you in some spots where you can be a passer."

Wilson's continuous evolution has also inspired her teammates to raise their own level of play.

Gray, who sits sixth on the WNBA's all-time assists list, attributes her confidence to experiment with passing to Wilson's exceptional angles and reads. Meanwhile, Young said she appreciates the genuine relationships Wilson has formed with her teammates and her unwavering attention to detail.

Young has played alongside Wilson for her entire career. The No. 1 overall pick in 2019 believes that being around Wilson on a day-to-day basis has been instrumental in her growth into a five-time All-Star, two-time All-WNBA second-team selection, and Most Improved Player winner.

"She's the best player in the world, and she's the standard," Young told theScore. "You kind of want to be up there with her. ... If I'm at the top of my game, it kind of takes some pressure off her. It helps her out.

"Just wanting to be great - that's the standard here in Aces basketball. I'm just kind of building off that each year. You get the opportunity to play with the best player in the world, and I'm not taking it for granted."

Wilson and the Aces are very much in the mix for a fourth WNBA title in five years - a dominance not seen since the Houston Comets won the first four championships in league history.

Las Vegas' rise into a dynasty began when it selected Wilson with the top pick in the draft eight years ago. Wilson's dedication to her craft was evident then, and she continues to take great pride in her evolution.

"I want my scouting report to look different every single year," Wilson said. "I want to make it hard to scout, to play against. That means you've gotta work on a lot of different things.

"I was left-handed heavy coming into the league, and I kinda knew that. And I'm just like, 'Alright, I'm not going to be able to get this for all nine years. What are other ways that I can still get to my spots, but it just looks a little different?' You've gotta constantly add things to your game and grow with it."