WNBA Finals Film Room: A’ja Wilson Hits the Jackpot

On the game-winning play in Game 3 on the WNBA Finals, Gray sets a terrific pin-down screen (screen set facing the basket) for Wilson to get a clean catch off the inbounds.

Wilson immediately goes to her strong hand, takes one dribble before knocking down a turnaround jumper over the outstretched hands of Alyssa Thomas and DeWanna Bonner.

One of the smart chess moves Las Vegas made was neutralizing Thomas as a weakside defender.

Wilson catches the ball at the elbow — something that racked up from the first two games compared to Game 3. She had a combined 30 touches in the vicinity of the elbow in Games 1 and 2 She had 31 touches alone in Game 3.

On the possession below, she gets a touch at the elbow before going to work isolated in the post.

Chelsea Gray has Thomas occupied on the perimeter and away from Wilson.

Wilson spins back to her strong shoulder and dominates Bonner in the post one-on-one.

Notice Thomas’ body language after Wilson’s bucket. Thomas hangs her head in disbelief, and that mental battle swung in favor of Las Vegas.

A’Ja Wilson Was an MVP on Both Ends

On this defensive possession, Wilson is attempting a half-front denial to force the post entry pass to go over the top.

It’s a deep catch but she immediately shows her hands to make Brown shoot over the top. Her discipline allows her to stay down on the pump fake and use her length to block Brown twice before a foul is called.

This is an elite sequence from Wilson on both ends. She goes to her post-up game and notice again, Thomas is at the nail one pass away off Jackie Young. This leaves Thomas in a predicament to help off one pass away or stay home.

Wilson turns, squares her shoulders to the basket and knocks down the jumper.

Defending this pick-and-roll, Wilson is up at the level of the screen — she is low enough to take away the pocket pass to the roller and high enough to challenge a potential pull up three-pointer.

Once Whitcomb turns the corner, Wilson commits to peeling off her assignment and swats the layup attempt out of play.

Final Shots

Was there ever a doubt?

For A’ja Wilson, that trophy room will call for another case. 

With Las Vegas taking home their third ring in four years, they played their queen card and proved that they cannot be dethroned. 

The slot machine displays a “three-peat.”