Aces superstar A'ja Wilson named TIME's 2025 Athlete of the Year Meghan L. Hall, USA TODAY December 9, 2025 at 1:01 PM 1 Las Vegas Aces superstar A'ja Wilson is TIME's Athlete of the Year, because, of course, she is. The 6foot4 South Carolina native earned her second WNBA scoring title, third Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) award and fourth MVP (the first in league history to accomplish the feat) weeks before winning her third championship. The now twotime Finals MVP and the Aces swept the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA Finals.
- - Aces superstar A'ja Wilson named TIME's 2025 Athlete of the Year
Meghan L. Hall, USA TODAY December 9, 2025 at 1:01 PM
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Las Vegas Aces superstar A'ja Wilson is TIME's Athlete of the Year, because, of course, she is.
The 6-foot-4 South Carolina native earned her second WNBA scoring title, third Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) award and fourth MVP (the first in league history to accomplish the feat) weeks before winning her third championship. The now two-time Finals MVP and the Aces swept the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA Finals.
Wilson is the first player in WNBA or NBA history to win a championship, Finals MVP, regular-season MVP and DPOY award in the same season. She's also one of four players in the WNBA or NBA to win four MVP trophies before the age of 30. Fittingly, Wilson wore a Thanos-inspired glove to Las Vegas' championship parade earlier this year to celebrate.
"When you've collected everything, that's Thanos," Wilson told TIME. "And this year, I collected everything. I don't really talk much s---, I mean crap. I kind of let my game do it. This was my biggest moment of doing it, because no one's ever done what I've done. And I think people really needed to understand that."
Game 1: Las Vegas Aces guard Chelsea Gray (12) celebrates with teammates after the Aces defeated the Phoenix Mercury, 89-86, at Michelob Ultra Arena.
" data-src=https://ift.tt/mObrGyF class=caas-img data-headline="The best photos as Aces, Mercury meet in 2025 WNBA Finals" data-caption="
Game 1: Las Vegas Aces guard Chelsea Gray (12) celebrates with teammates after the Aces defeated the Phoenix Mercury, 89-86, at Michelob Ultra Arena.
">Game 1: Las Vegas Aces guard Chelsea Gray (12) celebrates with teammates after the Aces defeated the Phoenix Mercury, 89-86, at Michelob Ultra Arena.
" src=https://ift.tt/mObrGyF class=caas-img>Game 1: Jackie Young #0 of the Las Vegas Aces battles for the ball with Alyssa Thomas #25 and Kahleah Copper #2 of the Phoenix Mercury.
" data-src=https://ift.tt/fqrAHbQ class=caas-img data-headline="The best photos as Aces, Mercury meet in 2025 WNBA Finals" data-caption="
Game 1: Jackie Young #0 of the Las Vegas Aces battles for the ball with Alyssa Thomas #25 and Kahleah Copper #2 of the Phoenix Mercury.
">Game 1: Jackie Young #0 of the Las Vegas Aces battles for the ball with Alyssa Thomas #25 and Kahleah Copper #2 of the Phoenix Mercury.
" src=https://ift.tt/fqrAHbQ class=caas-img>Game 1: Chelsea Gray (12) and A'ja Wilson (22) of the Las Vegas Aces grab a rebound past DeWanna Bonner (14) and Satou Sabally (0) of the Phoenix Mercury.
" data-src=https://ift.tt/4XnymPA class=caas-img data-headline="The best photos as Aces, Mercury meet in 2025 WNBA Finals" data-caption="
Game 1: Chelsea Gray (12) and A'ja Wilson (22) of the Las Vegas Aces grab a rebound past DeWanna Bonner (14) and Satou Sabally (0) of the Phoenix Mercury.
">Game 1: Chelsea Gray (12) and A'ja Wilson (22) of the Las Vegas Aces grab a rebound past DeWanna Bonner (14) and Satou Sabally (0) of the Phoenix Mercury.
" src=https://ift.tt/4XnymPA class=caas-img>Game 1: Alyssa Thomas (25) of the Phoenix Mercury shoots the ball against Jackie Young of the Las Vegas Aces.
" data-src=https://ift.tt/D46VLio class=caas-img data-headline="The best photos as Aces, Mercury meet in 2025 WNBA Finals" data-caption="
Game 1: Alyssa Thomas (25) of the Phoenix Mercury shoots the ball against Jackie Young of the Las Vegas Aces.
">Game 1: Alyssa Thomas (25) of the Phoenix Mercury shoots the ball against Jackie Young of the Las Vegas Aces.
" src=https://ift.tt/D46VLio class=caas-img>Game 1: Las Vegas Aces guard Jewell Loyd (24) looks to tip a loose ball away from Phoenix Mercury guard Sami Whitcomb (33).
" data-src=https://ift.tt/6PN13gS class=caas-img data-headline="The best photos as Aces, Mercury meet in 2025 WNBA Finals" data-caption="
Game 1: Las Vegas Aces guard Jewell Loyd (24) looks to tip a loose ball away from Phoenix Mercury guard Sami Whitcomb (33).
">Game 1: Las Vegas Aces guard Jewell Loyd (24) looks to tip a loose ball away from Phoenix Mercury guard Sami Whitcomb (33).
" src=https://ift.tt/6PN13gS class=caas-img>Game 1: Las Vegas Aces forward NaLyssa Smith (3) shoots against Phoenix Mercury forward Natasha Mack (4).
" data-src=https://ift.tt/skYic51 class=caas-img data-headline="The best photos as Aces, Mercury meet in 2025 WNBA Finals" data-caption="
Game 1: Las Vegas Aces forward NaLyssa Smith (3) shoots against Phoenix Mercury forward Natasha Mack (4).
">Game 1: Las Vegas Aces forward NaLyssa Smith (3) shoots against Phoenix Mercury forward Natasha Mack (4).
" src=https://ift.tt/skYic51 class=caas-img>Game 1: A'ja Wilson (22) of the Las Vegas Aces celebrates after making a basket against the Phoenix Mercury.
" data-src=https://ift.tt/kNmywWo class=caas-img data-headline="The best photos as Aces, Mercury meet in 2025 WNBA Finals" data-caption="
Game 1: A'ja Wilson (22) of the Las Vegas Aces celebrates after making a basket against the Phoenix Mercury.
">Game 1: A'ja Wilson (22) of the Las Vegas Aces celebrates after making a basket against the Phoenix Mercury.
" src=https://ift.tt/kNmywWo class=caas-img>Game 1: Satou Sabally (0) of the Phoenix Mercury shoots the ball against Megan Gustafson (17) of the Las Vegas Aces.
" data-src=https://ift.tt/nbAczEK class=caas-img data-headline="The best photos as Aces, Mercury meet in 2025 WNBA Finals" data-caption="
Game 1: Satou Sabally (0) of the Phoenix Mercury shoots the ball against Megan Gustafson (17) of the Las Vegas Aces.
">Game 1: Satou Sabally (0) of the Phoenix Mercury shoots the ball against Megan Gustafson (17) of the Las Vegas Aces.
" src=https://ift.tt/nbAczEK class=caas-img>Game 1: Satou Sabally (0) of the Phoenix Mercury looks to shoot the ball against NaLyssa Smith (3) of the Las Vegas Aces.
" data-src=https://ift.tt/tlKYFJm class=caas-img data-headline="The best photos as Aces, Mercury meet in 2025 WNBA Finals" data-caption="
Game 1: Satou Sabally (0) of the Phoenix Mercury looks to shoot the ball against NaLyssa Smith (3) of the Las Vegas Aces.
">Game 1: Satou Sabally (0) of the Phoenix Mercury looks to shoot the ball against NaLyssa Smith (3) of the Las Vegas Aces.
" src=https://ift.tt/tlKYFJm class=caas-img>Game 1: NaLyssa Smith (3) of the Las Vegas Aces reacts during the third quarter.
" data-src=https://ift.tt/PFsm9Zg class=caas-img data-headline="The best photos as Aces, Mercury meet in 2025 WNBA Finals" data-caption="
Game 1: NaLyssa Smith (3) of the Las Vegas Aces reacts during the third quarter.
">Game 1: NaLyssa Smith (3) of the Las Vegas Aces reacts during the third quarter.
" src=https://ift.tt/PFsm9Zg class=caas-img>Game 1: Chelsea Gray (12) of the Las Vegas Aces reacts against the Phoenix Mercury during the fourth quarter.
" data-src=https://ift.tt/ZjY85Wk class=caas-img data-headline="The best photos as Aces, Mercury meet in 2025 WNBA Finals" data-caption="
Game 1: Chelsea Gray (12) of the Las Vegas Aces reacts against the Phoenix Mercury during the fourth quarter.
">Game 1: Chelsea Gray (12) of the Las Vegas Aces reacts against the Phoenix Mercury during the fourth quarter.
" src=https://ift.tt/ZjY85Wk class=caas-img>Game 1: Alyssa Thomas (25) of the Phoenix Mercury drives to the basket against Jackie Young (0) of the Las Vegas Aces.
" data-src=https://ift.tt/Uj9wVaI class=caas-img data-headline="The best photos as Aces, Mercury meet in 2025 WNBA Finals" data-caption="
Game 1: Alyssa Thomas (25) of the Phoenix Mercury drives to the basket against Jackie Young (0) of the Las Vegas Aces.
">Game 1: Alyssa Thomas (25) of the Phoenix Mercury drives to the basket against Jackie Young (0) of the Las Vegas Aces.
" src=https://ift.tt/Uj9wVaI class=caas-img>Game 1: Alyssa Thomas (25) of the Phoenix Mercury shoots the ball against Jackie Young (0) of the Las Vegas Aces.
" data-src=https://ift.tt/tTNHIZL class=caas-img data-headline="The best photos as Aces, Mercury meet in 2025 WNBA Finals" data-caption="
Game 1: Alyssa Thomas (25) of the Phoenix Mercury shoots the ball against Jackie Young (0) of the Las Vegas Aces.
">Game 1: Alyssa Thomas (25) of the Phoenix Mercury shoots the ball against Jackie Young (0) of the Las Vegas Aces.
" src=https://ift.tt/tTNHIZL class=caas-img>Game 1: Las Vegas Aces guard Jackie Young (0) dribbles against Phoenix Mercury guard Kahleah Copper (2).
" data-src=https://ift.tt/lKJMSmf class=caas-img data-headline="The best photos as Aces, Mercury meet in 2025 WNBA Finals" data-caption="
Game 1: Las Vegas Aces guard Jackie Young (0) dribbles against Phoenix Mercury guard Kahleah Copper (2).
">Game 1: Las Vegas Aces guard Jackie Young (0) dribbles against Phoenix Mercury guard Kahleah Copper (2).
" src=https://ift.tt/lKJMSmf class=caas-img>Game 1: Las Vegas Aces guard Jewell Loyd (24) drives against Phoenix Mercury guard Kahleah Copper (2).
" data-src=https://ift.tt/P1eKoCI class=caas-img data-headline="The best photos as Aces, Mercury meet in 2025 WNBA Finals" data-caption="
Game 1: Las Vegas Aces guard Jewell Loyd (24) drives against Phoenix Mercury guard Kahleah Copper (2).
">Game 1: Las Vegas Aces guard Jewell Loyd (24) drives against Phoenix Mercury guard Kahleah Copper (2).
" src=https://ift.tt/P1eKoCI class=caas-img>Game 1: Kahleah Copper (2) of the Phoenix Mercury celebrates after her 3-point basket.
" data-src=https://ift.tt/wkBH3Xf class=caas-img data-headline="The best photos as Aces, Mercury meet in 2025 WNBA Finals" data-caption="
Game 1: Kahleah Copper (2) of the Phoenix Mercury celebrates after her 3-point basket.
">Game 1: Kahleah Copper (2) of the Phoenix Mercury celebrates after her 3-point basket.
" src=https://ift.tt/wkBH3Xf class=caas-img>Game 1: Head coach Nate Tibbetts of the Phoenix Mercury looks on during the first quarter.
" data-src=https://ift.tt/kmHFX4B class=caas-img data-headline="The best photos as Aces, Mercury meet in 2025 WNBA Finals" data-caption="
Game 1: Head coach Nate Tibbetts of the Phoenix Mercury looks on during the first quarter.
">Game 1: Head coach Nate Tibbetts of the Phoenix Mercury looks on during the first quarter.
" src=https://ift.tt/kmHFX4B class=caas-img>Game 1: Maddy Westbeld of the Chicago Sky (left) and Rae Burrell of the Los Angeles Sparks look on.
" data-src=https://ift.tt/rB5RkL9 class=caas-img data-headline="The best photos as Aces, Mercury meet in 2025 WNBA Finals" data-caption="
Game 1: Maddy Westbeld of the Chicago Sky (left) and Rae Burrell of the Los Angeles Sparks look on.
">Game 1: Maddy Westbeld of the Chicago Sky (left) and Rae Burrell of the Los Angeles Sparks look on.
" src=https://ift.tt/rB5RkL9 class=caas-img>Game 1: Jackie Young (0) of the Las Vegas Aces reacts in front of Kahleah Copper of the Phoenix Mercury.
" data-src=https://ift.tt/tZlAxgr class=caas-img data-headline="The best photos as Aces, Mercury meet in 2025 WNBA Finals" data-caption="
Game 1: Jackie Young (0) of the Las Vegas Aces reacts in front of Kahleah Copper of the Phoenix Mercury.
">Game 1: Jackie Young (0) of the Las Vegas Aces reacts in front of Kahleah Copper of the Phoenix Mercury.
" src=https://ift.tt/tZlAxgr class=caas-img>Game 1: Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon looks on.
" data-src=https://ift.tt/40rgJ8s class=caas-img data-headline="The best photos as Aces, Mercury meet in 2025 WNBA Finals" data-caption="
Game 1: Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon looks on.
">Game 1: Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon looks on.
" src=https://ift.tt/40rgJ8s class=caas-img>Game 1: Dana Evans of the Las Vegas Aces, shoots the ball between Monique Akoa Makani and Natasha Mack of the Phoenix Mercury.
" data-src=https://ift.tt/nwbpRhT class=caas-img data-headline="The best photos as Aces, Mercury meet in 2025 WNBA Finals" data-caption="
Game 1: Dana Evans of the Las Vegas Aces, shoots the ball between Monique Akoa Makani and Natasha Mack of the Phoenix Mercury.
">Game 1: Dana Evans of the Las Vegas Aces, shoots the ball between Monique Akoa Makani and Natasha Mack of the Phoenix Mercury.
" src=https://ift.tt/nwbpRhT class=caas-img>Game 1: A'ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces drives to the basket against Alyssa Thomas of the Phoenix Mercury.
" data-src=https://ift.tt/6YZHz4P class=caas-img data-headline="The best photos as Aces, Mercury meet in 2025 WNBA Finals" data-caption="
Game 1: A'ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces drives to the basket against Alyssa Thomas of the Phoenix Mercury.
">Game 1: A'ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces drives to the basket against Alyssa Thomas of the Phoenix Mercury.
" src=https://ift.tt/6YZHz4P class=caas-img>Game 1: Kahleah Copper of the Phoenix Mercury grabs a rebound against the Las Vegas Aces.
" data-src=https://ift.tt/rbA40nI class=caas-img data-headline="The best photos as Aces, Mercury meet in 2025 WNBA Finals" data-caption="
Game 1: Kahleah Copper of the Phoenix Mercury grabs a rebound against the Las Vegas Aces.
">Game 1: Kahleah Copper of the Phoenix Mercury grabs a rebound against the Las Vegas Aces.
" src=https://ift.tt/rbA40nI class=caas-img>Game 1: Chelsea Gray of the Las Vegas Aces shoots the ball against Monique Akoa Makani of the Phoenix Mercury.
" data-src=https://ift.tt/CMjuX2S class=caas-img data-headline="The best photos as Aces, Mercury meet in 2025 WNBA Finals" data-caption="
Game 1: Chelsea Gray of the Las Vegas Aces shoots the ball against Monique Akoa Makani of the Phoenix Mercury.
">Game 1: Chelsea Gray of the Las Vegas Aces shoots the ball against Monique Akoa Makani of the Phoenix Mercury.
" src=https://ift.tt/CMjuX2S class=caas-img>Game 1: A'ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces grabs a rebound against Kahleah Copper of the Phoenix Mercury.
" data-src=https://ift.tt/kFNxjBD class=caas-img data-headline="The best photos as Aces, Mercury meet in 2025 WNBA Finals" data-caption="
Game 1: A'ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces grabs a rebound against Kahleah Copper of the Phoenix Mercury.
">Game 1: A'ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces grabs a rebound against Kahleah Copper of the Phoenix Mercury.
" src=https://ift.tt/kFNxjBD class=caas-img>
1 / 30The best photos as Aces, Mercury meet in 2025 WNBA FinalsGame 2: The Las Vegas Aces' Jewell Loyd (24) and A'ja Wilson (22) celebrate after scoring against the Phoenix Mercury.
Wilson was part of several TIME honorees for 2025, including KPop Demon Hunters as the 2025 Breakthrough of the Year, YouTube's Neal Mohan as the CEO of the Year and Leonardo DiCaprio as the Entertainer of the Year.
Her ascension to the greatest year in her career did not come without some struggles. At the midway point of the WNBA season, the Aces were sitting at .500 and were on the receiving end of a 50-plus blowout loss to the Minnesota Lynx.
Then, a switch flipped. Las Vegas rattled off 16 straight wins to get to the postseason, and endured back-to-back playoff series that required the team to play every game possible (three against the Seattle Storm and five against the Indiana Fever) before getting to the Finals."Sometimes you've just got to get knocked down to get built back up," Wilson said. "I think 2025 was a wake-up call that I needed, to let me know that I can't be satisfied with anything. There's somebody out there that's going to try to take your job. You need to make sure you're great at it, every single day."
Wilson further cemented her legacy and perhaps her TIME Athlete of the Year award when she hit a game-winning shot against the Mercury during Game 3 of the WNBA Finals. The shot, released with a fitting 2.2 seconds left on the clock (a subtle ode to her No. 22 jersey), cemented the series for the Aces and catapulted Wilson into the conversations for the WNBA's greatest player of all time. Still, the WNBA star wouldn't quite put herself in that category just yet. That said, she believes that she's making it hard for people to chase after her.
"When you think about a lot of GOATs, they have those career-defining shots that solidify you as the best…", she said. "I didn't really have one of those. I had championships, yeah. But it was never really like a moment of like, 'Whoooooooo. That's why she is who she is. She's exactly who she thinks she is.'"
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Las Vegas Aces star A'ja Wilson named TIME's 2025 Athlete of the Year
Source: "AOL Sports"
Source: Sports
Published: December 09, 2025 at 09:27PM on Source: MARIO MAG
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