A'ja Wilson provides injury update after missing FIBA World Cup

Team USA won gold during the 2026 FIBA World Cup, but they were missing a major piece of the team in Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson who opted out of playing this go-round. With the Aces set to resume the WNBA season this week as they seek to defend their title, Wilson acknowledged that injury-wise, she didn’t feel up to par in terms of playing, as per Brandy Flores of Las Vegas Sports Network.

“I’m feeling good. I’m feeling right where I need to be physically, I think it’s just, it’s a mental game. So I feel like I’m in a good space,” Wilson said. “It was a major decision. I don’t even think necessarily that it was getting ready for the postseason, it was just taking care of my body and what I need to do. This ball is going to stop bouncing eventually and I just want to make sure I at least feel good in that.

“I don’t think I was thinking too much of, ‘oh I got to get ready for the playoffs.’ More so, I just don’t feel well. And if I can’t give myself 100 percent, I feel like I rob, not only my teammates, but wearing that uniform, that USA uniform. I didn’t want to do that. That was the biggest thing, just not feeling 100 percent.”

A’ja Wilson had been dealing with a few nagging injuries during the course of the Aces’ season thus far, but it seems like she’s ready for the final stretch of the season.

The eight-time All-Star is in the running for her fifth MVP award, and has appeared in 37 games at just about 35 minutes per game. She’s averaging 26.0 points, 9.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.4 steals and 2.0 blocked shots with splits of 52.3 percent shooting from the field, 39.8 percent shooting from the 3-point line and 85.9 percent shooting from the free-throw line.