A’ja Wilson and the Las Vegas Aces clawed their way back to the WNBA Finals with an overtime victory over the Indiana Fever in Game 5 of the semifinals. The four-time MVP exploded on occasion to seal the deal when it mattered the most.
Yet the win came at a cost for Indiana, with Kelsey Mitchell exiting early due to a knee injury and Aliyah Boston fouling out. However, days after Wilson helped the Aces script WNBA history, she had one-of-a-kind postgame words to sum up the Aces’ journey so far.
A’ja Wilson Shares Unique Perspective After Aces’ WNBA Finals Berth
This Finals berth feels earned the hard way for the Las Vegas team. They started the season below .500 as late as July 25 but reeled off 16 straight wins to snag the No. 2 seed. A buzzer-beater Game 3 win over Seattle in the first round tested their mettle, and now they face the Phoenix Mercury in a best-of-seven series starting Friday.
However, the 2x WNBA champion had a lot to say about the team’s tough stretch leading to the WNBA Finals berth.
“Obviously, we’re not complacent. It’s not an, ‘Oh, we’re happy to be here,’ because we worked our butts off to get here, but it does definitely feel a lot different than the ones before only because we went through the mud for this. Like Coach always says, we weren’t necessarily buried, we were planted. We sometimes had to let the soil get moisture and then we had to grow. Now we’re still growing,” Wilson said.
A’JA WILSON TONIGHT 🔥
— Women’s Hoops Network (@WomensHoops_USA) October 1, 2025
• 35 POINTS
• 8 REBOUNDS
• 5 ASSISTS
• 4 STEALS
• 4 BLOCKS
• 41 MINUTES PLAYEDpic.twitter.com/BZTTjQDLdg
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Additionally, the stats back the narrative. Las Vegas won its final 16 regular-season games, then survived close calls in the playoffs. In Game 5, Chelsea Gray’s nine overtime points on perfect shooting sealed it, while Loyd added five.
A’ja Wilson Sent Thoughts To Kelsey Mitchell After Injury
While the Aces outpaced one side to make it to the one final series before the WNBA ring, the Fever kept on kicking till their last breath. Despite trying with all their will, Kelsey Mitchell’s third-quarter exit shifted the momentum.
The MVP finalist, averaging 23.3 playoff points, collapsed after a three-pointer, clutching her knee in a non-contact scare. She waved off a stretcher, limped off with assistance, and headed to the hospital, finishing with 15 points. Interestingly, the Aces’ star shared the 2018 draft class with her ‘draft partner.’ Wilson sent prayers to Mitchell after her third-quarter exit with an injury.
“First off, just prayers for Kelsey Mitchell. That’s my draft partner, and to see her go down like that was not good. So, super prayers to her. She’s had a phenomenal season, and I really hope the Indiana Fever continue to take care of her,” she said.
A’ja Wilson: “First off, just prayers for Kelsey Mitchell. That’s my draft partner and to see her go down like that was not good. So, super prayers to her. She’s had a phenomenal season and I really hope the Indiana Fever continue to take care of her.”
— hank 🇰🇷 (@Brian_Haenchen) October 1, 2025
Additionally, she also backed Napheesa Collier’s fiery critique of commissioner Cathy Engelbert, calling Engelbert’s alleged comments “disgusting” but praising Collier’s leadership in the Players Association.