A’ja Wilson is the Las Vegas Aces’ star center, a three-time WNBA champion, and the first player in league history to win four MVP awards.
A’ja Wilson’s Biography
| Detail | Information |
| Full Name | A’ja Riyadh Wilson |
| Nickname | Aja |
| Date of Birth | August 8, 1996 |
| Age | 29 years |
| Nationality | American |
| Height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
| Weight | 195 lbs (88 kg) |
| Turned Professional | 2018 |
| WNBA Draft Pick | No. 1 overall, 2018, Las Vegas Aces |
| Position | Center |
| Current Team | Las Vegas Aces |
| Jersey Number | No. 22 |
| Contract | 3-year, $5 million supermax extension (signed April 2026) |
| Salary | $1.4 million |
| Career Earnings | Over $2.4 million in WNBA salary alone (Spotrac, 2026) |
| Major Titles | 3x WNBA Champion, 4x WNBA MVP, 2x Finals MVP, 3x Defensive POY, 2x Olympic gold |
| Sponsors | Nike (signature shoe), Ruffles, and others |
| Relationship Status | In a relationship |
| Boyfriend | Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat) |
| Children | N/A |
| Verified Instagram | @aja22wilson |
Wilson has become the highest-paid player in WNBA history after signing her supermax deal, and she’s currently the league’s leading scorer in the 2026 season. Off the court, she’s built one of the sport’s most recognizable personal brands, from a Nike signature shoe line to a very public relationship with NBA star Bam Adebayo.
Early Career
Born in Hopkins, South Carolina, Wilson grew up in a basketball family—her father Roscoe played at Virginia Tech. She attended Heathwood Hall Episcopal School, becoming the most recruited women’s basketball player in state history.
She chose the University of South Carolina under coach Dawn Staley, leading the Gamecocks to their first-ever national championship in 2017 and earning Final Four Most Outstanding Player honors. The Las Vegas Aces drafted her No. 1 overall in 2018.
Professional Career
Wilson won WNBA Rookie of the Year in 2018 and quickly became the Aces’ franchise cornerstone. She’s since won four MVP awards (2020, 2022, 2024, 2025), three championships (2022, 2023, 2025), and two Finals MVP honors. In 2025, she made history as the first player ever to win regular-season MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and Finals MVP in the same season.
Internationally, she’s a two-time Olympic gold medalist with Team USA (2020, 2024) and a two-time FIBA World Cup champion. She led the WNBA in scoring during the 2024 season, breaking the single-season scoring record with 26.9 points per game.
Boyfriend
Wilson is in a long-term relationship with Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo; the couple first drew public attention after being spotted together at the 2024 Paris Olympics. In interviews with Vogue and Vanity Fair, Wilson has spoken openly about wanting to eventually become “a wife” and “a mother,” though she hasn’t set a specific timeline. There is no confirmed engagement or marriage as of mid-2026, despite persistent social media speculation.
A’ja Wilson’s Net Worth Details
As of 2026, Estimates for Wilson’s net worth roughly $4 million to $8 million. Most trackers, including Celebrity Net Worth, place the figure closer to $4-5 million, driven largely by her new supermax salary and Nike endorsement. These numbers remain estimates since exact endorsement terms are not publicly disclosed.
Contract
In April 2026, Wilson signed a three-year, $5 million fully guaranteed supermax extension with the Las Vegas Aces the richest contract in WNBA history at the time. Unlike a flat-rate deal, her salary in years two and three is tied to 20% of the team’s salary cap, meaning her pay will rise as league revenue and the salary cap grow under the new CBA.
This structure reflects the WNBA’s broader 2026-2032 collective bargaining agreement, which is projected to deliver over $1 billion in total player salaries and benefits league-wide.
Salary
For the 2026 season, Wilson earns a base salary of $1.4 million, which is the maximum allowed under the WNBA’s current supermax rules and roughly seven times what she made in 2025. To put her earnings trajectory in perspective, her rookie salary in 2018 was just $52,564, and even as recently as 2025 she was earning only $200,000 a year.
The dramatic jump reflects the new CBA’s overhauled pay structure rather than any change in her performance, since she was already the league’s best player before the raise.
Career Earnings
| Year | Team | Base Salary | Earnings | Notes |
| 2018 | Las Vegas Aces | $52,564 | $52,564 | Rookie season, No. 1 overall pick |
| 2020 | Las Vegas Aces | ~$57,000 | ~$57,000 | Won first WNBA MVP |
| 2022 | Las Vegas Aces | Under $200,000 | Under $200,000 | Won championship and MVP |
| 2024 | Las Vegas Aces | $228,094 | $228,094 | Broke single-season scoring record |
| 2025 | Las Vegas Aces | $200,000 | $200,000 | Won 4th MVP, 3rd title, Finals MVP |
| 2026 | Las Vegas Aces | $1,400,000 money+1 | $1,400,000 | New supermax contract begins |
Endorsements
Wilson’s endorsement portfolio is anchored by Nike, with whom she signed a six-year extension in 2024 that led to the launch of her own signature shoe, the A’One, in 2025. She also has a longstanding partnership with Ruffles and other regional brands, though exact deal values for these partnerships have not been disclosed.
Industry analysts note that her brand-deal interest surged after Caitlin Clark’s arrival brought broader mainstream attention to the WNBA, opening doors to national campaigns that previously overlooked women’s basketball players.
Career Records
| Achievement | Year | Team or Competition | Details |
| WNBA Rookie of the Year | 2018 | Las Vegas Aces | First-team All-Rookie honors |
| WNBA MVP (x4) | 2020, 2022, 2024, 2025 | Las Vegas Aces | Only 4-time MVP in WNBA history |
| WNBA Champion (x3) | 2022, 2023, 2025 | Las Vegas Aces | 3 titles in 4 seasons |
| Finals MVP (x2) | 2023, 2025 | Las Vegas Aces | Sixth player with multiple Finals MVPs |
| Defensive Player of the Year (x3) | 2022, 2023, 2025 | Las Vegas Aces | Co-DPOY in 2025 |
| Single-season scoring record | 2024 | Las Vegas Aces | 26.9 PPG, first to top 1,000 points in a season |
| Olympic Gold Medal (x2) | 2020, 2024 | Team USA | FIBA Olympics MVP in 2024 |
| FIBA World Cup Gold (x2) | 2018, 2022 | Team USA | World Cup MVP in 2022 |
| Historic Single-Season Triple | 2025 | Las Vegas Aces | First to win MVP, DPOY, and Finals MVP same season |
| NCAA National Championship | 2017 | South Carolina Gamecocks | Final Four Most Outstanding Player |
FAQs
1. Who is A’ja Wilson?
A’ja Riyadh Wilson (born August 8, 1996, in Columbia, South Carolina) is a star center for the Las Vegas Aces of the WNBA. She’s widely considered one of the greatest players in league history.
2. Why is she named A’ja?
She was named after the song “Aja” by the band Steely Dan.
3. What college did she play for?
Wilson played for the University of South Carolina Gamecocks from 2014 to 2018 under coach Dawn Staley, winning the 2017 NCAA championship. She also earned the Wade Trophy that year.
4. When was she drafted, and by whom?
The Las Vegas Aces selected her first overall in the 2018 WNBA Draft, and she won Rookie of the Year that same season.
5. How many WNBA MVP awards has she won?
Wilson has won four WNBA MVP awards (2020, 2022, 2024, 2025), the most in league history.
6. How many WNBA championships has she won?
She has won three WNBA titles with the Aces, in 2022, 2023, and 2025.
7. Has she won Olympic gold?
Yes, Wilson won Olympic gold with Team USA at both the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Games.
8. Did she set any scoring records?
Yes, on September 15, 2024, she became the first WNBA player ever to score 1,000 points in a single season.
9. What made her 2025 season historic?
In 2025, she became the first player in WNBA history to win the scoring title, championship, Finals MVP, regular-season MVP, and Defensive Player of the Year all in the same season.
10. Does she have a foundation or other ventures?
Wilson founded a foundation in 2019 supporting children with dyslexia, a condition she has herself, and has since branched into business and media ventures.