South Carolina women's basketball: A'ja Wilson repeats as AP Player of the Year, Allisha Gray also honored

A’ja Wilson was named the AP WNBA Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year on Friday, while Allisha Gray was also honored.

Wilson earned Player of the Year honors for the second season in a row and third overall (2020). Wilson finished first in scoring (23.4) and blocks (2.3) average, second in rebounding average(10.2), and third in steals (1.6) average. She also averaged a career-high 3.1 assists and led the league in efficiency rating, and now has three of the top five seasons of all time (each of the past three seasons).

Wilson is the only player in WNAB history to average at least 20 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and one steal for an entire season.

Wilson was two points short of tying Jewel Loyd (2023 – 939) for the second-highest scoring season in WNBA history. She finished with 407 total rebounds, the third most ever. In August, Wilson recorded the first 30-point, 20-rebound game in WNBA history, and her 13 30-point games this season are a league record.

This is the third time in the past five seasons that Wilson has been Defensive Player of the Year.

“Considering coach (Dawn) Staley was so hard on me about my defense in college, I’m glad I can have some success at the pro level multiple times,” Wilson told the AP.

Wilson is joined on the All-WNBA first team by Gray, her former college roommate. Gray has blossomed in Atlanta, making the All-Star game each season with the Dream. This season, under first-year head coach Karl Smesko, she took the next step.

An All-Star starter for the first time, Gray averaged 18.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.1 steals, all career highs. She set Atlanta’s single-season scoring record.

Despite numerous injuries, Gray led Atlanta to a tie for the second-best record in the WNBA, setting a franchise record for wins.

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Napheesa Collier (Minnesota), Alyssa Thomas (Phoenix), and Kelsey Mitchell (Indiana) joined the former Gamecocks on the All-WNBA team. Wilson, Collier, and Thomas were unanimous selections.

The second-team All WNBA selections were Bueckers, Sabrina Ionescu, Nneka Ogwumike, Kelsey Plum, and Jackie Young.

Paige Bueckers (Dallas) earned Rookie of the Year. Sonia Citron, Kiki Iriafen, Leila Lacan, Janelle Salaun, and Dominique Malonga joined her on the All-Rookie team.

Golden State’s Natalie Nakase took home Coach of the Year after coaching the Valkyries to the first playoff appearance by an expansion team.

Shakira Austin (Washington) was named the Comeback Player of the Year, and Veronica Burton (Golden State) was Most Improved Player. Atlanta’s Naz Hillmon was named Sixth Woman of the Year.

The AP voting is done by a 14-member national media panel that votes on the power poll each week. This is the 10th season that AP awards have been given out.

The WNBA league awards will be announced during the playoffs. Wilson is the favorite to become the first four-time MVP.

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