Aâja Wilson has made herself undeniable. At 29, the Las Vegas Aces superstar has firmly established her place among the greatest players in WNBA history, with three championships and four league MVPs to her name. Yet her legacy comes from more than the trophies. It is rooted in the relentless work behind them, the part that speaks loudest of all.
Wilson has showcased herself as one of the most disciplined players in professional sports. A person who arrives 30 minutes before practice begins and doesnât leave the gym until the janitors kick her out. Winning isnât just done on the hardwood for an athlete like Aâja. She puts that same work into her regular life.
The reigning Finals MVP was a recent guest on Kylie Kelceâs Not Gonna Lie podcast to discuss this very topic. Kelce asked the Top Tier Cover Girl about the best piece of advice she ever received. It didnât take the future Hall of Famer very long to answer. Her response was locked and loaded.
âI think something thatâs just honestly just straight to the point and that I always think about is, âNobody cares. Work harder.â I love that advice because sometimes I get caught up in the noise. Sometimes I canât help myself,â stated Wilson.
âJust continue to work hard, and nobody will be able to really say anything because you proved that wrong. I think this year I really showed that within myself.â
Itâs sound advice for anyone in any profession. Donât let the haters or the weight of the moment keep you down. Instead, spend that extra time working on proving whoever doubts you wrong. Even if the person who doubts you is yourself.
Aâja remembered that she had to take this advice earlier in the Las Vegas Acesâ 2025 season. âThere was a point in our season where I had to put my head down and just work. I couldnât dial into the noise. I couldnât get into the media. I need to get to my team, I need to get to work, then rinse, sleep, repeat,â stated the three-time champ.
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âWe live in a world that is very opinionated. Everybody has an opinion about something. Whether they know something about it or whether they donât, you can get caught up in that. But nobody really cares,â she added.
Kelce then wondered what advice Aâja would give to any incoming WNBA rookies. âBe a sponge and not a rock. Sometimes, coming into the league, you think that the things that worked in college will work in the pros, and some of it does. But sometimes you got to be a sponge to the knowledge.â
Again, Wilsonâs advice isnât just for professional basketball players. Itâs a blueprint for how to handle pressure, growth, and the worldâs endless noise. Her journey proves that greatness isnât built on accolades alone. Itâs built on discipline, humility, and the willingness to evolve even when nobodyâs watching.
Wilsonâs words remind that success belongs to those who keep learning, keep grinding, and keep showing up. And if her career thus far is any indication, sheâs far from finished writing the next chapter of what it means to be undeniably great.
About the author
Joseph is a Las Vegas based actor and circus performer. For the last seven years he’s had the pleasure of covering sports for multiple outlets, including the Lifestyles section of Sports Illustrated. In that time, he’s conducted over 50 interviews with athletes, filmmakers, and company founders to further cement his footprint in the journalism world. He’s excited to bring that skillset to the SportsRush, where he’ll be covering the NBA news cycle.
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