The Year 2025 is one of the most, if not the most, standout ones for WNBA superstar A’ja Wilson, as she won everything there is both professionally and personally.
In the WNBA, the 29-year-old center swept all major awards: her fourth MVP, third Defensive Player of the Year, and second Finals MVP after leading the Las Vegas Aces to their third title.
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Wilson compared her achievements to Thanos from the “Avengers” films, who collected all six Infinity Stones to wield ultimate power. At the Aces’ victory parade, she wore a replica of the Infinity Gauntlet, explaining that it expressed her feelings and underscored the facts.
“When you’ve collected everything, that’s Thanos,” Wilson toldTime Magazine in an interview. “And this year, I collected everything. I don’t really talk much [s —]. … I kind of let my game do it. This was my biggest moment of doing it, because no one’s ever done what I’ve done. And I think people really needed to understand that.”
Beyond her WNBA season, Wilson’s South Carolina jersey was retired in February. Her signature Nike shoe debuted in May and was an instant hit.
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Winning in her personal life
Wilson is also reportedly thriving in her personal life, with her relationship with Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo steadily progressing.
The two sparked relationship rumors during their respective tours of duty with Team USA in the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games, where they helped their squads to the gold medal. Last year, during the Paris Games, they were spotted together in various events and enjoying the sights in the City of Light.
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While they have kept their relationship generally private for the last four years, recently, they have become more open to talking about it. Wilson shared that she is happy to have found a great partner in Adebayo and looks forward to spending the rest of her life with him.
“That is always a dream. This is my life partner. Honestly, what on earth was my world before you? That’s how much he’s impacted my life, my family’s life,” she said of the three-time NBA All-Star.
Time’s Athlete of the Year
With everything going her way in 2025, Wilson was recently named Time’s “Athlete of the Year,” becoming the third basketball player to receive the honor after Caitlin Clark and LeBron James. She was also named The Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year.
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The two accolades have only enhanced her standing as possibly the greatest of all time women’s basketball players, something she is candidly embracing, knowing what she has brought to the game and the success she has had.
“I’m on my way there. I’m making it real hard for people to chase after me. That’s what it means to be the GOAT,” she said.
While she has had a great 2025, Wilson has made it clear that she is nowhere near done achieving greater heights, which is great for the WNBA and basketball in general.
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