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NEW YORK, Oct. 8, 2026 \u2013 Las Vegas Aces center-forward A\u2019ja Wilson has been named the 2026 Kia WNBA Most Valuable Player, the WNBA announced today.<\/p>\n
Wilson extends her WNBA record to five Kia WNBA MVP awards, adding to her honors in 2020, 2022, 2024 and 2025. She also becomes the first player in the 30-year history of the league to win the award in three consecutive seasons. Cynthia Cooper, the winner in 1997 and 1998, is the only other player to have earned the award in back-to-back seasons.<\/p>\n
Wilson received 65 of 74 first-place votes and nine second-place votes (713 points) from a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. Minnesota Lynx rookie guard Olivia Miles (442 points; six first-place votes) finished in second place, followed by Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell (287 points; two first-place votes) in third. Indiana guard Caitlin Clark (212 points; one first-place vote) finished fourth and New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart (171 points) was fifth.<\/p>\n
Players were awarded 10 points for a first-place vote, seven points for a second-place vote, five points for a third-place vote, three points for a fourth-place vote and one point for a fifth-place vote.<\/p>\n
In her ninth WNBA season, Wilson averaged 26.2 points, 9.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.9 blocked shots and 1.4 steals in 32.0 minutes in 41 games. The 6-4 Wilson led the league in points per game for the third straight season and in blocks per game for the fifth consecutive season and the sixth time overall (2020 and 2022-26). She also paced the WNBA in efficiency rating (30.4).<\/p>\n
Wilson\u2019s 26.2 points per game this season rank second in league history, behind her own mark of 26.9 set in 2024. She has increased her career scoring average to 22.1 points, the highest figure in WNBA history. Wilson ranked second in total points this season (1,073), behind Kelsey Mitchell (1,086), and now owns four of the top seven single-season points totals in league history.<\/p>\n
The University of South Carolina alum shot 52.7 percent from the field, 40.4 percent from three-point range and 86.4 percent from the free throw line, all the second-best marks of her career. She set career highs with 38 three-pointers made, 94 three-point attempts, 279 free throws made and 323 free throw attempts.<\/p>\n
Behind Wilson, Las Vegas finished with a 31-13 regular season record and earned the No. 3 seed in the 2026 WNBA Playoffs presented by Google Pixel. Wilson and the Aces will host the Golden State Valkyries tomorrow in Game 3 of their Semifinals series (9:30 p.m. ET on Peacock\/NBCSN). Golden State leads the series 2-0.<\/p>\n
In addition to her five Kia WNBA MVP honors, Wilson is an eight-time WNBA All-Star, five-time All-WNBA First Team selection, four-time WNBA All-Defensive First Team choice, three-time WNBA champion, three-time Kia WNBA Defensive Player of the Year and two-time WNBA Finals MVP.<\/p>\n
Additional highlights of Wilson\u2019s 2026 season and career are listed below:<\/p>\n
Led the league with 13 games of at least 30 points, tying her own WNBA single-season record (2025).
\nRecorded 33 games with at least 20 points, the third-highest single-season total in WNBA history, behind Mitchell\u2019s 35 this season and her own 34 in 2024.
\nScored 45 points against the Connecticut Sun on May 15, becoming the first player in WNBA history to record multiple games of at least 45 points in a career.
\nFinished the season ranked second in league history with 50 career games of at least 30 points, behind Diana Taurasi (54).
\nPosted a league-high 19 double-doubles of at least 20 points and 10 rebounds, including two stretches of four straight such games \u2013 the longest streak in the WNBA this season (May 31 \u2013 June 8 and June 28 \u2013 July 12).
\nRecorded a league-high seven double-doubles of at least 30 points and 10 rebounds, raising her career total to a WNBA-record 33.
\nClimbed to 11th on the WNBA\u2019s all-time scoring list (6,792 points) after beginning the season 21st. Wilson is now 12 points from passing Sue Bird (6,803) for 10th<\/p>\n
Wilson earned all four Kia WNBA Western Conference Player of the Month awards in 2026, becoming the first player in league history to sweep a conference\u2019s honors twice in her career (she also did so in 2020). She was recognized as the WNBA Western Conference Player of the Week a league-high five times (Weeks 1, 5, 10, 13 and 15).<\/p>\n
In honor of being named the 2026 Kia WNBA Most Valuable Player, Wilson will receive $60,000 and a trophy specially designed by Tiffany & Co.<\/p>\n
Below are the voting results for the 2026 Kia WNBA Most Valuable Player Award and a list of past recipients of the annual honor.<\/p>\n
VOTING RESULTS: 2026 KIA WNBA MOST VALUABLE PLAYER AWARD<\/p>\n
Player (Team)
\n1st Place Votes
(10 Points)
\n2nd Place Votes
(7 Points)
\n3rd Place Votes
(5 Points)
\n4th Place Votes
(3 Points)
\n5th Place Votes
(1 Point)
\n
Total Points<\/p>\n
A\u2019ja Wilson (Las Vegas)
\n65
\n9
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n713<\/p>\n
Olivia Miles (Minnesota)
\n6
\n40
\n15
\n8
\n3
\n442<\/p>\n
Kelsey Mitchell (Indiana)
\n2
\n12
\n25
\n17
\n7
\n287<\/p>\n
Caitlin Clark (Indiana)
\n1
\n6
\n20
\n16
\n12
\n212<\/p>\n
Breanna Stewart (New York)
\n0
\n7
\n11
\n14
\n25
\n171<\/p>\n
Paige Bueckers (Dallas)
\n0
\n0
\n3
\n13
\n16
\n70<\/p>\n
Angel Reese (Atlanta)
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n3
\n0
\n9<\/p>\n
Rhyne Howard (Atlanta)
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n1
\n3
\n6<\/p>\n
Shakira Austin (Washington)
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n1
\n1
\n4<\/p>\n
Veronica Burton (Golden State)
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n1
\n0
\n3<\/p>\n
Gabby Williams (Golden State)
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n3
\n3<\/p>\n
Jackie Young (Las Vegas)
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n3
\n3<\/p>\n
Jessica Shepard (Dallas)
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n1
\n1<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
KIA WNBA MOST VALUABLE PLAYER AWARD WINNERS<\/p>\n
1997 \u2013 Cynthia Cooper, Houston<\/p>\n
1998 \u2013 Cynthia Cooper, Houston<\/p>\n
1999 \u2013 Yolanda Griffith, Sacramento<\/p>\n
2000 \u2013 Sheryl Swoopes, Houston<\/p>\n
2001 \u2013 Lisa Leslie, Los Angeles<\/p>\n
2002 \u2013 Sheryl Swoopes, Houston<\/p>\n
2003 \u2013 Lauren Jackson, Seattle<\/p>\n
2004 \u2013 Lisa Leslie, Los Angeles<\/p>\n
2005 \u2013 Sheryl Swoopes, Houston<\/p>\n
2006 \u2013 Lisa Leslie, Los Angeles<\/p>\n
2007 \u2013 Lauren Jackson, Seattle<\/p>\n
2008 \u2013 Candace Parker, Los Angeles<\/p>\n
2009 \u2013 Diana Taurasi, Phoenix<\/p>\n
2010 \u2013 Lauren Jackson, Seattle<\/p>\n
2011 \u2013 Tamika Catchings, Indiana<\/p>\n
2012 \u2013 Tina Charles, Connecticut<\/p>\n
2013 \u2013 Candace Parker, Los Angeles<\/p>\n
2014 \u2013 Maya Moore, Minnesota<\/p>\n
2015 \u2013 Elena Delle Donne, Chicago<\/p>\n
2016 \u2013 Nneka Ogwumike, Los Angeles<\/p>\n
2017 \u2013 Sylvia Fowles, Minnesota<\/p>\n
2018 \u2013 Breanna Stewart, Seattle<\/p>\n
2019 \u2013 Elena Delle Donne, Washington<\/p>\n
2020 \u2013 A\u2019ja Wilson, Las Vegas<\/p>\n
2021 \u2013 Jonquel Jones, Connecticut<\/p>\n
2022 \u2013 A\u2019ja Wilson, Las Vegas<\/p>\n
2023 \u2013 Breanna Stewart, New York<\/p>\n
2024 \u2013 A\u2019ja Wilson, Las Vegas<\/p>\n
2025 \u2013 A\u2019ja Wilson, Las Vegas<\/p>\n
2026 \u2013 A\u2019ja Wilson, Las Vegas<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kia America \u2013 about us\u00a0<\/p>\n
Headquartered in Irvine, California, Kia America continues to top automotive quality surveys. Kia is recognized as one of the TIME World\u2019s Most Sustainable Companies of 2026. Kia serves as the \u201cOfficial Automotive Partner\u201d of the NBA and WNBA and offers a range of gasoline, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and electric vehicles sold through a network of nearly 800 dealers in the U.S., including several SUVs proudly assembled in America*.<\/p>\n
For media information, including photography, visit www.kiamedia.com<\/a>. To receive custom email notifications for press releases the moment they are published, subscribe at www.kiamedia.com\/us\/en\/newsalert<\/a><\/p>\n * The 2026 and 2027 all-electric EV6 and EV9 all-electric three-row SUV, Sportage (excluding PHEV model), Sorento (excludes HEV and PHEV models), and Telluride are assembled in the United States from U.S. and globally sourced parts.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"NEW YORK, Oct. 8, 2026 \u2013 Las Vegas Aces center-forward A\u2019ja Wilson has been named the 2026 Kia…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":927721,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[629],"tags":[49,48,82,630],"class_list":["post-927720","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-wnba","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-sports","tag-wnba"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/927720","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=927720"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/927720\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/927721"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=927720"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=927720"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=927720"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}