NEED TO KNOW
- A’ja Wilson was surprised by her boyfriend Bam Adebayo as she received her 2025 WNBA MVP trophy
- Wilson looked emotional as Adebayo handed her the trophy alongside WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert, Aces owner Mark Davis and Wilson’s dad
- Wilson is the only WNBA player to win MVP four times
A’ja Wilson is living her best life.
The WNBA star, 29, made basketball history on Sunday, Sept. 21 when the league announced her as the recipient of the 2025 MVP Award, making her the first-ever player to become a four-time MVP.
Wilson was at practice with the Las Vegas Aces when her boyfriend, NBA player Bam Adebayo, and WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert surprised her with the MVP trophy in a sweet moment captured on video and shared by the WNBA.
Wilson looked stunned, putting her hands over her mouth and dropping to the floor as her teammates surrounded her and cheered.
The WNBA star’s dad and Aces owner Mark Davis adorably celebrated by showing up to the Aces facility wearing pink wigs in a nod to Wilson’s 2025 player photo, in which she debuted hot pink hair.
Engelbert praised Wilson for her “grace” and leadership skills, calling her “one of the greatest players ever” in the league’s history before Adebayo, 28, handed his girlfriend the trophy. After the surprise from her beau, the Aces star held her trophy and posed for photos with Engelbert and her family.
Adebayo and Wilson’s romance has been quietly known among fans since summer 2024. In early July, the pair were spotted dining together in Las Vegas as they participated in Team USA Basketball training camps, and while they both competed for gold medals in Paris later that month, they were seen shopping and dining together.
Wilson subtly confirmed the romance to PEOPLE in February when she admitted she was spending Valentine’s Day without her valentine.
The WNBA star was making appearances at events during NBA All-Star Weekend in San Francisco, but because Adebayo wasn’t named an All-Star, he was given time off. Wilson admitted to PEOPLE, “My NBA All-Star is not here,” and said Adebayo is “getting the rest he needs” during the break. “And that’s the best Valentine gift that I can truly give him, is just the rest,” she added.
PEOPLE asked Wilson if she and Adebayo were publicly naming each other as one another’s valentines, she smiled and said, “I mean…,” before slyly changing the subject to Adebayo wearing her new signature Nike shoe on the court during a game the month earlier.
Wilson won her first MVP trophy in 2020, and again in 2022 and 2024 before adding this year’s award to her impressive list of accolades. Last summer, she also nabbed her second Olympic gold medal with Team USA in Paris.
She and the Aces are now hoping to add a third WNBA championship to their trophy case, after finishing the regular season on a 16-0 run. They defeated the Seattle Storm in the first round of the playoffs, and are now up against the Indiana Fever, who took Game 1 on Sunday night. The two teams next face off in Las Vegas on Tuesday.
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