Late in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game against the Dallas Wings, A’ja Wilson stepped to the free-throw line with history in reach. To little surprise, she calmly sunk both shots to surpass Sophia Young-Malcolm and become the all-time leading scorer in Las Vegas Aces franchise history.
It was written ✍️
In today’s win over the Dallas Wings, A’ja Wilson scored 28 PTS to etch her name in the history books as the @LVAces franchise all-time leading scorer
She went 3-4 from deep while also grabbing 10 boards #WelcometotheW pic.twitter.com/xKcjQNNR99
— WNBA (@WNBA) July 7, 2024
“It means the world, it really does,” Wilson said. “It’s a special moment. I didn’t even know, honestly, until about the third quarter. Sydney [Colson] actually told me, she was like, ‘Come on, this is your chance, you don’t want to do it away, you want to do it at home.’ And I was like, ‘That is right.’
“So I’m so grateful to have this moment, my teammates sharing it with me, this crowd sharing it with me. But the job’s not done. We still got a lot more we gotta learn and grow from, but I’m definitely gonna take in this moment.”
Wilson finished with 28 points, 10 rebounds, and two blocks on 11-of-22 shooting from the field in yet another brilliant outing, as the Aces took down the Wings, 104-85. For her career, Wilson now has 4,301 points, ranking 39th in league history and 11th among all active players.
Here’s a look at the all-time leading scorers in Aces franchise history, which dates back to 1997 and includes their iterations as the Utah Starzz and San Antonio Stars. Aces coach Becky Hammon ranks third, while Wilson’s teammate, Kelsey Plum, checks in at fourth.
| Player | Points |
|---|---|
| A’ja Wilson | 4,301 |
| Sophia Young-Malcolm | 4,300 |
| Becky Hammon | 3,474 |
| Kelsey Plum | 3,051 |
| Kayla McBride | 2,858 |
Making Wilson’s accomplishment even more special was the fact that she did it in front of Young-Malcolm and numerous other former players on alumni night. Wilson and Young-Malcolm, who spent her entire career with the franchise and made three All-Star appearances, shared a moment on the court postgame.
“It’s all about growing the game,” Wilson said. “They laid the foundation down for us to be able to wear this uniform today. Even though it may be a different color, a different city, but they are the foundation. To do this in front of them, it truly is something special. I’m so grateful to have this moment. I’m actually gonna go take a picture with her after this. It’s a moment. This is what growing the game’s about. That’s what we’re continuing to try and strive to do. So man, it’s special, it really is.”
Sophia Young has passed the torch to A’ja Wilson, the new all-time leading scorer in Starzz/Silver Stars/Aces history. 4,301 points, and A’ja did it in front of nearly 50 franchise alumni who were in town for Alumni Weekend. Poetic. @SportingTrib #ALLINLV #WNBA pic.twitter.com/nsPwaLk09P
— Will Despart (@WillDespart) July 7, 2024
Sunday’s result got the Aces back in the win column after a surprise overtime loss to the Los Angeles Sparks earlier this week. They’ve now won seven of their last eight games — all with Chelsea Gray in the lineup — to bounce back from a disappointing start to the season, climbing into fourth place in the standings.
Wilson’s big night continued her MVP-level campaign. She is now averaging 27 points, which would be a single-season record, 10.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.8 steals, and 2.7 blocks per game. If she continues at this pace, she will become the first player in WNBA history to average at least 25 points, 10 rebounds, and two blocks for a season.
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