Aja Wilson pushed back on claims that Caitlin Clark saved the WNBA and said that the dangerous narrative erased years of work by past stars who built the league
A’ja Wilson felt Caitlin Clark’s fans attempted to erase WNBA history
A’ja Wilson is glad that the history of the WNBA continues to be written by stars of the past and present during a time when the boom of Caitlin Clark generated optics that the Iowa product’s existence alone drove league revenue and popularity.
Wilson pushed back on the idea that Clark was the sole reason for massive worth after joining the league in 2024. The Aces star had already carved one of the greatest careers in modern basketball before Clark ever played a professional minute.
A’Ja arrived in 2018 as a No. 1 pick, delivered multiple MVP seasons, elevated Las Vegas to championship status, and became the face of an expansion franchise on its way to dynasty status. Yet the reigning MVP said the narrative that followed Clark’s arrival made it feel like years of foundational work were suddenly wiped clean, something she said had less to do with Clark herself and more to do with her fans.
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Wilson spoke with Time Magazine after being named the 2025 Athlete of the Year. Clark earned the achievement before Wilson just one year prior.
The award came following a historic year that included winning the league MVP award, the WNBA championship, and an Olympic gold medal in Paris, where she was named tournament MVP.
Clark helped boost ratings and attendance during her first year, and the league crossed major visibility milestones. Those facts didn’t bother Wilson, but what did was the rising claim that Clark alone rescued the WNBA.
Wilson is a four time WNBA MVP
“It wasn’t a hit at me, because I’m going to do me regardless,” Wilson said. “I’m going to win this MVP, I’ll win a gold medal, y’all can’t shake my resume.”
“It was more so, let’s not lose the recipe. Let’s not lose the history. It was erased for a minute. And I don’t like that. Because we have tons of women that have been through the grimiest of grimy things to get the league where it is today.”
Wilson is attempting to preserve WNBA history
Wilson also pushed back on another false narrative that Clark’s rise came isolated from a new wave of emerging talent. Angel Reese, Sonia Cintron, Kamila Cardoso, and later Paige Bueckers also created a surge of new fandom that helped reshape the sport together.
For Wilson, that reinforced the idea that players in the league “continue to rise to the occasion,” and that a spotlight was all that was needed for the league’s players to flourish. “We have been invested in each other and our craft for a very long time,” she said. “It was just like, they’re going to pay attention.”
Wilson doesn’t blame Clark for her fame
Clark missed most of the season and the WNBA playoffs due to injuries, and the numbers continued to climb nonetheless. ESPN’s regular-season and postseason ratings rose between five and six percent per game.
The Fever star has repeatedly said that she doesn’t take credit for saving the league and has praised Wilson, Diana Taurasi, Tamika Catchings, Candace Parker, and the athletes who built the WNBA long before her arrival.