Controversial Call Helps A’ja Wilson’s Aces to Victory, Reopens Debate on WNBA’s Officiating Horrors

Superstar center A'ja Wilson and her Las Vegas Aces are looking to defend their championship crown again this season.

Controversial Call Helps A’ja Wilson’s Aces to Victory, Reopens Debate on WNBA’s Officiating Horrors

Aces superstar A'ja Wilson (Image via FirstSportz)

With the Minnesota Lynx surprisingly leading the league, A’ja Wilson and her Las Vegas Aces are working hard to ensure they do not lose ground in the race to finish at the top.

Finishing with the No. 1 seed allows the team to enjoy rest, as well as home court advantage. With such benefits on the offing, the defending champions knew well that three teams behind them are too close for comfort.

Paige Bueckers‘ Dallas Wings and Angel Reese‘s Atlanta Dream just settled their scores, albeit with some controversy. Then there is the hot-handed Indiana Fever, who are blazing through teams as their confidence grows. That is why the Aces’ final game of this month against the New York Liberty was a must-win.

Against their Commissioner’s Cup rivals, the home team took the lead and kept it until the third quarter. But in the fourth quarter, the Liberty staged a comeback, reducing the deficit to one point with less than seven minutes left.

A’ja Wilson and her team managed to keep it just ahead of their opponents. However, with 20 seconds to go and the lead at three points, the four-time league MVP tried dribbling towards the paint when the ball slipped out of her hands and went out of bounds. Surprisingly, officials ruled it against the Liberty, citing that the ball last touched Jonquel Jones. However, replays clearly showed that Wilson was the last to touch the ball.

Since the away team could not challenge, they could not capitalize on it, which could have tilted the game in their favor. The Aces seemingly got a lifeline from the officials in this instance, as no review was called for. This is another example of the horrors of officiating that have plagued the WNBA this year.

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A’ja Wilson and Aces have daunting five-game road trip coming up

It is not easy to defend a championship in any sport. In fact, A’ja Wilson and the Las Vegas Aces are the only WNBA team in the last 23 years to defend their crown. But this year, the situation is a lot different.

A'ja Wilson blocks Breanna Stewart
A’ja Wilson blocks Breanna Stewart (Image via Aces/X)

The CBA-led free agency saw multiple superstars change teams. In fact, the New York Liberty were playing without one of their best players, Satou Sabally, and also starter Leonie Fiebich.

If they managed to come back and threaten the home team with three starters and two rookies, then it shows how close they are to being a real threat to Aces’ dominance.

Winning this game was paramount for A’ja Wilson and her teammates. They start next month with a five-game road trip where they will face a Chicago Sky team that is starting to find its rhythm.

Then, they will face Atlanta, Indiana, Minnesota, and New York again before returning home. Essentially, these five games will show what improvements Wilson and her teammates need to make if they are to retain their crown.

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A’ja Wilson is getting comfortable with the GOAT moniker

During the eventful All-Star weekend, A’ja Wilson sat down with ESPN’s Malika Andrews about her life, her career, and her goals. During this conversation, the host asked the 29-year-old whether she has heard people labeling her as the GOAT of women’s basketball.

If I’m the GOAT, cool. I’m there. In my eyes, I’ve been the GOAT since ’96.

A’ja Wilson replied

With this answer, it is clear that she is already getting comfortable being labeled as the greatest of all time, even though her career is far from over. It seems that the South Carolina great is aware that every year she laces up her sneakers, she is pushing the goalposts further.

A’ja Wilson’s career so far has already made her worthy of being in the GOAT debate. But since she is constantly improving every season, it will not be long before the debate no longer exists.

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