Flau’Jae Johnson Debunks A’ja Wilson’s Claims to Beat NBA Players

WNBA and Aces superstar A'ja Wilson had claimed last year that she could defeat NBA star Josh Hart in a game of 1v1 basketball.

Flau’Jae Johnson Debunks A’ja Wilson’s Claims to Beat NBA Players

Flau'jae Johnson does not believe A'ja Wilson can beat NBA stars (Image via FirstSportz)

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Over the past few years, A’ja Wilson has established herself as the best women’s basketball player in the world. She has been on a continuous path to be better every season, on her way to a surefire Hall of Fame nomination.

The Las Vegas Aces superstar’s form has been bridging the gap when it comes to the lack of superlative performances compared to the men in the NBA. Based on that confidence, the 2-time champion took it a tad too far when she claimed that she could win in a 1v1 battle against NBA players.

At the time, she was just coming off a stellar show at the Paris Olympics. As time went by, former NBA player Jeff Teague was the first to counter those claims, reiterating that she could not even defeat a G League or men’s college basketball player at that.

This is a tricky subject, considering a standout women’s basketball player might fancy her chances. When Shannon Sharpe had Flau’jae Johnson over as his guest on Club Shay Shay, he asked her this question.

It’s not physically possible. No. You know how hard it is to get in the NBA? I could barely grab the rim, you are already over the backboard… I know I can’t.

Flau’jae Johnson replied

She believes the physical differences alone can help even bottom rung players dominate a women’s basketball player. They cannot do what the men in the NBA or even the G League do. No matter what the differences in skill are, they will struggle on athleticism alone.

A’ja Wilson labeled Usain Bolt the GOAT

Even though this was Flau’jae Johnson’s stance, only a 1v1 game between A’ja Wilson and a male basketball player could finally settle this debate. She is on her way to being the GOAT of women’s basketball and knows what greatness looks like when she sees it.

GOATED. GOATED. Oh my god. So nice to meet you.

A’ja Wilson said

This was her reaction when she saw 8-time Olympic gold medal-winning sprinter, Usain Bolt. The greatest sprinter ever appeared courtside to watch the Las Vegas Aces take on the Dallas Wings. She was overjoyed to meet and click pictures with one of the greatest ever athletes.

Wilson herself has 2 Olympic gold medals, but knows she plays a team sport, and 2 or 3 more medals will not help her reach the standards set by Bolt. He undoubtedly changed the landscape of sprinting and became a superstar in his own right.

A’ja Wilson and Aces bounce back with confidence-inspiring win

Last season, A’ja Wilson broke records in what some would say was one of the best individual seasons for a player. However, that individual performance was not enough to help the Las Vegas Aces earn a 3rd successive title fight.

Las Vegas Aces won convincingly with new starting lineup
Las Vegas Aces won convincingly with new starting lineup (Image via Las Vegas Aces/X)

This season, change was expected. A myriad of players left, and in came new faces, all within the vision of what head coach Becky Hammon wanted. Prime among those was the trade that brought in Jewell Loyd to replace the outgoing Kelsey Plum.

Where the latter has endured a rocky start with her new team and is now starting to catch form, Loyd has so far been a disappointment. The fit was not seamless with Wilson and the Aces, and that led to inconsistent form.

The 2023 scoring leader has not stayed true to her primary skills and has struggled to even match her usual career averages. That forced Hammon to make a change ahead of this game against the Wings.

She sent Loyd to the bench and started Kiersten Bell. The move paid off, with Bell registering 19 crucial points in just 21 minutes of play. At the same time, the demotion seemed to have sparked a surge in Loyd.

She poured in 20 points in 19 minutes of play, shooting efficiently and taking what the defense gave her. This, along with A’ja Wilson’s 14 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, and 4 blocks, gave the Aces their most impressive win to date. This could be the start of their resurgence.

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