Oct 23, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Stephen A. Smith (Stephen Smith) on the ESPN NBA Countdown live set at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Stephen A. Smith Makes WNBA MVP Opinion Extremely Clear

Originally posted on Women's Fastbreak on SI
By Grant Young | Last updated Sep 9, 2025 5:38 PM ET

Perhaps the most intriguing story to follow in this final week of the WNBA regular season is the three-player race for the 2025 WNBA MVP award.

While some are making a case for Atlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray to receive MVP consideration, most would agree that the three players who actually stand a chance of winning the award are Las Vegas Aces forward A'ja Wilson, Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier, and Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas.

South Carolina Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley (who coached Wilson in college) sent a strong message about who she thinks should win the award with a September 8 X post that read, "As we wind down the @WNBA season, just would like to thank all the talented women who gave us a season of all seasons. If there’s truly no funny stuff in the air @_ajawilson22 really is the MVP. I’m biased but the historical numbers and run their on aren’t."

Stephen A. Smith Makes A'ja Wilson WNBA MVP Case

Of course, Staley is a little bit biased with their stance. But ESPN sports personality Stephen A. Smith isn't, and he made a strong case for Wilson to win the award (and even predicted she would) during a September 9 episode of First Take.

"Let me say this, ladies and gentlemen... the Las Vegas Aces lost by 53 points on their home court to the Minnesota Lynx on August 2. They ain't lost a game since," Smith said, per an X post from First Take. "And this woman, A'ja Wilson, who's already a three-time league MVP, is about to get another one."

He then added, "This is what I love about... Becky Hammon. She's the one coach, I've firmly been on the record saying, if you got men coaching in the WNBA, she could be coaching in the NBA. Because that woman can coach. I love that Becky Hammon."

"A'ja Wilson is about to win the league MVP, [the Aces are] in third place in the WNBA standings, they're gonna be a force to be reckoned with. But A'ja Wilson is the truth. She is special. Damn right she's gonna be MVP again!" he concluded.

"A'ja Wilson, who's already a three-time league MVP, is about to get another one."

-@stephenasmith on Aja Wilson and the Aces' winning streak pic.twitter.com/nNReeETuqL
— First Take (@FirstTake) September 9, 2025