30 American athletes to watch at the 2024 Paris Olympics
By Nick Villano
11. A’ja Wilson
Women's Basketball
A’ja Wilson has been dominating the sport of basketball for a very, very long time. Since her days with the South Carolina Gamecocks, Wilson has been the best player on the court. She won the 2020 WNBA MVP, earning herself a spot on Team USA at the Tokyo Olympics.
Despite all the accolades she’s earned, the two-time MVP is having her best season to date. As of this writing, she’s averaging 27 points and just under 11 rebounds per game. Those would both blow her career highs out of the water, as she continues to deliver for the Las Vegas Aces. It would also destroy Diana Taurasi’s 2006 record (she averaged 25.6 points per game).
Wilson could probably win the gold medal with a randomly-selected group of women to play alongside her. She’s just at a different level right now. She might one day go down as the best women’s basketball player ever. Wilson is putting up Wilt Chamberlain-type numbers in the women’s game. This is unheard of, and now she gets to bring her supremacy to the international stage.
We’ve already said it, but this women’s tournament really should be just a cavalcade of dominance from the U.S. There’s something to be said about being too cocky, and there is increased competition, but this is just such a stacked women’s roster. Wilson is the star, and she’s at the peak of her powers.