A'ja Wilson Is The Smoothest Operator | Defector

"What I like about watching A'ja Wilson operate is how simple she makes the game look. Not easy, but simple, as she applies basic principles of footwork and positioning at the highest possible level to shred elite defenses, never really needing to do anything more complicated than read the scheme, apply pressure, and make the right play. More often than not, the right play involves her spinning over her right shoulder and popping it from like 13 feet,"

"Las Vegas won a nailbiter on Thursday evening, scraping by the Seattle Storm 74-73 thanks to a tough putback from Jackie Young and an ultimately successful yet quite chaotic scramble on the final possession. It was Wilson, duh, who won that possession, defending Erika Wheeler in space and forcing a missed jumper. Gabby Williams's would-be game-winner, gifted to her by a botched Jewell Loyd rebound, came a hair too late and the overzealous game ops person in Vegas turned off the lights with the ball still in the air."

"Wilson averaged 29.3 points, 8.7 boards, 3.3 assists, and 4.3 stocks in the three games, across which she played all but 14 minutes. She did this against Nneka Ogwumike, Ezi Magbegor, and, most entertainingly of all, Dominique Malonga. Last night, she dropped 38, getting to the free-throw line 11 times, committing zero fouls and a single turnover. When she had one of the Storm bigs in isolation, she'd get to her spot and cash in."

A'ja Wilson uses basic footwork and positioning at an elite level to dismantle defenses, often spinning and popping from about 13 feet. Her play has a metronomic quality that anchors Las Vegas's offense and propelled the Aces into the semifinals. Las Vegas edged Seattle 74-73 after a chaotic final possession and a Jackie Young putback; Wilson defended Erika Wheeler and forced the miss that decided the game. Wilson averaged 29.3 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 4.3 stocks across the three games, including a 38-point night with 11 free-throw attempts, zero fouls, and one turnover.

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