Indiana Fever Ruin A’ja Wilson MVP Party Sunday; Final: Indiana 89 Las Vegas 73 In WNBA Semis Game 1 As A’ja Wins Record Fourth MVP
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Story by Alan Snel and Cassandra Cousineau Photos by Hugh Byrne
LAS VEGAS, Nevada — How sweet was that?
Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson was surprised with the WNBA MVP trophy from none other than her boyfriend, Miami Heat player Bam Adebayo, with Wilson tearfully accepting her fourth MVP award from 2020 to 2025.
But by Sunday afternoon, the four-time MVP was in a different mood after the Indiana Fever spoiled Wilson’s MVP award party with a decisive 89-73 win over Wilson and her Aces teammates in Game 1 of the WNBA Semifinals at Mandalay Bay’s Michelob Ultra Arena.
Wilson’s boyfriend and parents were there after the game to share hugs with the four-time MVP after the Aces loss. Game 2 is back in the same arena Tuesday at 6:30PM.
The Aces were down by five points at the half before Indiana, playing without Caitlin Clark for the series, went on a run to boost its lead to double digits. But later in the quarter, the Aces countered with a 10-0 run to slice the lead to four at 57-53 before the Fever closed out the third with their own 12-2 run to beef up their lead to 69-55.
And the Aces never recovered.
After the game, Aces coach Becky Hammon put it simply that Indiana came to play with more urgency and that the Aces will not win with only 12 assists in the 40 minutes.
And Aces guard Dana Evans said the team has to do a better job at supporting Wilson. “We have to take the pressure off of her,” Evans said.
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Wilson is the heartbeat of women’s pro basketball in Las Vegas, scoring points, swatting away foes’ shots and exerting leadership at a junction of the Las Vegas Aces season in 2025 when it was unclear whether the WNBA franchise would even make the eight-team playoffs let alone compete for a third league title.
In the end, Wilson removed all doubts whether she would win an unprecedented fourth WNBA MVP award. On Sunday morning, history was made. Wilson’s MVP news was out. Wilson received 51 of 72 first-place votes and 21 second-place votes (657 points) from sportswriters and broadcasters. Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier (534 points) finished second, followed by Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas (391 points) in third.
The acknowledgement of Wilson’s talent on the court cemented her role as the face of the league while giving her even more marketing leverage to sell everything from Nike signature shoes to her books.
Back in 2019, LVSportsBiz.com recognized that Wilson’s combination of competitive fire, grace under fire and goofy sense of humor would make her a marketing force beyond the basketball court with this story.
Wilson’s latest honor comes four months after her debut signature sneaker, the Nike A’One, sold out in less than five minutes following its May 6 release. The all-pink shoe retailed at $110 for adults and $90 for kids and was gone by 10:05 a.m. The immediate sellout highlighted growing demand for WNBA merchandise and marked a rare moment in women’s sports retail, where only 13 players in the league’s 27-year history have had their own signature shoe.
The combination of her MVP award and her sneaker success underscores Wilson’s impact both on and off the court.
“It’s business as usual,” Wilson said. “My phone’s buzzing a little bit more. But other than that, my main goal is exactly what we need to do today — to get a win against a really good Indiana Fever team. Because (MVP is) cool, but we’ve already celebrated this. Now it’s on to the next.”
Wilson averaged more than 23 points and 10 rebounds during the 2025 season and also won Co-Defensive Player of the Year with Minnesota Lynx forward Alanna Smith. It was the third time in four years that Wilson has received that defensive award.
Analysts report WNBA merchandise sales have grown by double digits over the past three seasons, while Nike has said fan interest in women’s signature lines is at an all-time high. The success of Wilson’s A’One release is seen by industry observers as evidence that the market for women’s basketball merchandise is expanding quickly.
For Las Vegas, Wilson’s record-setting fourth MVP cements the city’s role as a hub for women’s sports and strengthens the Aces’ status as one of the WNBA’s most visible franchises. The back-to-back storylines of a sneaker launch sellout in May and a historic MVP win in September position Wilson as both a basketball legend and a commercial driver for the league.
Wilson now stands ahead of previous three-time MVP winners Lisa Leslie, Lauren Jackson and Sheryl Swoopes. With four MVP trophies, three Defensive Player of the Year awards, and a signature shoe that sold out in minutes, she has become one of the most accomplished and marketable athletes in professional basketball.
Quick Hits: A’ja Wilson’s Business Impact
- MVP History: First player in WNBA history to win four MVP awards
- Sneaker Launch: Nike A’One released May 6, 2025; sold out in under five minutes
- Price Point: $110 for adults, $90 for kids
- Rarity: Only 13 WNBA players have ever had a signature shoe in the league’s 27-year history
- Merchandise Trends: WNBA merchandise sales have grown double digits for three straight seasons
- Defensive Recognition: Three-time Defensive Player of the Year, including Co-DPOY in 2025
- Team Impact: Aces closed regular season with a 16-game win streak to secure No. 2 seed
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Wilson and the Aces got off to a slow start against a six-seeded Indiana team that eliminated number three seed Atanta, two games to one in the first round.
Indiana started strong against the second-seeded Aces, but Las Vegas closed out the quarter well, trailing by a point, 19-18, after the first ten minutes.
Both teams swapped buckets in the second quarter, with Indiana leading, 33-32, with 2:37 left in the second quarter.
The Fever led at the half, 41-36.
Indiana came out strong in the second half. The Fever stretched the five-point edge to 12 points at 55-43 midway through the third quarter.
The Aces began cutting into the Indiana lead, as guards Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young plus Dana Evans off the bench sparked the comeback. It was Fever 57 Aces 53 with 3:20 to go in the third quarter.
It was Indiana’s time to counter punch and the Fever ballooned their lead back to 11 at 66-55 with 1:20 to go in the third. An Indiana three-pointer in the final minute gave the Fever a 69-55 lead after three quarters.
The Aces could not challenge the Fever in the fourth quarter. Indian closed out Game 1 win: Fever 89 Aces 73 .
After the game, Indiana coach Stephanie White and teammates of Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell, who scored a playoff career high of 34 points, spoke glowingly of the All-Star guard who gave the Aces fits all game long.
It was a rough day for Aces/Raiders owner Mark Davis. Before his Aces lost by 16 to Indiana, his Raiders were routed by Washington by 17 points in the NFL.
PSA
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