On Friday’s episode of Locked On Women’s Basketball, host Natalie Heavren was joined by The Next’s Las Vegas beat reporter Kelly Johnson to discuss A’ja Wilson hitting a major WNBA milestone.
On Wednesday night, Wilson scored her 5,000th career point, reaching that milestone faster than any player has in WNBA history. Johnson was inside Michelob Ultra Arena when Wilson made the basket to hit 5k and described what it was like in Las Vegas.
“Oh, the arena was electric,” Johnson said. “Fans were giving her a standing ovation. I think it was a sold out crowd too, or very close to a sold out crowd. Bria Hartley went up for a for free throws, and the entire crowd was just chanting, ‘A’ja, A’ja, A’ja,’ over again. There before that, the mascot was holding a giant goat plushie as people were chanting for her, giving her a standing ovation. It was amazing.”
Wilson was wearing a new, custom version of her shoes designed after the Disney movie “The Princess and the Frog,” which she said was her favorite movie growing up. The reigning MVP scored 22 points in the win over the Connecticut Sun, something Aces coach Becky Hammon highlighted as far more important to Wilson than any milestone.
“Since day one, since she was drafted, since she made her debut, she’s always been on top of everything,” Johnson said. “She’s always been in the paint. She’s always been trying to be better. She’s dedicated to winning.
“In the post game press conference, Becky even said that if they would have lost against the Connecticut Sun, but she still made that moment, made that milestone, she would have been more upset because they would have lost. She would have traded everything just to win. She’s so dedicated to her craft, and that’s what makes her stand out in the league.”
Heaven and Johnson also discussed some of the struggles the Aces have faced so far in 2025, which was evident on Thursday night in a loss to the Washington Mystics. Las Vegas is currently 7-8 and sits in ninth place in the WNBA, meaning the team would miss the playoffs if the season ended today. They also highlighted keys to the next month for the Aces and which player could have a breakout moment in the 25-minute discussion.
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