Dream Star Calls Out Home Crowd for A'ja Wilson 'MVP' Chants

The game was tightly contested until the third quarter, where the momentum shifted, and the Aces went on a run to take a comfortable lead which, surprisingly, drew loud cheers from fans inside the Atlanta arena.

The reception for the opposing team didn’t sit well with Atlanta guard Rhyne Howard, who voiced her frustration afterward in the post game interview.

“This is a challenge,” Howard told media members. “We rely on our fans and when they pick and choose who they want to cheer for and make it feel like an away game for us and a home game for the other team it’s easy to go on a run like that, especially with playoffs coming up.”

Fans in the Atlanta Dream Arena Chant 'MVP' for Opposing Team's Star A'ja Wilson

Despite fans at Gateway Center leaning toward Las Vegas, Atlanta stayed in striking distance. But in the final minute of the game, with Wilson at the free-throw line looking to seal the win, chants of “MVP” erupted across the arena for the Las Vegas star. 

The outpouring wasn’t random: Georgia borders South Carolina, Wilson’s alma mater, and many in attendance were likely longtime Gamecock fans.

Ironically, Gray — whose standout season has pushed her into MVP discussions — is also a former Gamecock.

“You want to see Gamecocks, we have Gamecocks on our roster. The last game we had ‘MVP’ chants for one of our players,” Howard said after the game and went on to bluntly state, “Don’t get here and switch up because of one player. And yes, we do make mistakes, but it’s easy to lose momentum when you have other people cheering against you.”

Whether the momentum was shifted by fans in the arena or not, in the end the Aces secured the win 81-75 over the Dream and tightened their grip on the No. 2 seed.