MVP A’ja Wilson boldly claims WNBA players endure most gruesome schedule

Reigning WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson joined Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart's podcast to make a bold claim about the WNBA's 'gruesome' schedule.

MVP A’ja Wilson boldly claims WNBA players endure most gruesome schedule

A'ja Wilson makes bold claim about WNBA's schedule.

Reigning WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson recently made a bold claim about the ‘gruelling’ difficulty of the WNBA’s schedule. Wilson, who earned her first unanimous MVP honors this season, argued that the league has the most challenging schedule in professional sports.

A’ja Wilson made her comments during her appearance on the latest episode of ‘The Roommates’ podcast hosted by New York Knicks stars Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart. On the show, she claimed that the WNBA’s schedule, along with the added pressure of the recent Olympic games, makes it the most difficult endurance challenge across sports.

YouTube video

I would have to say our schedule is pretty crazy. And for [the Aces], we had six Olympians this year. So that’s like half our roster gone. And other teams may have their whole roster, so they can train, they can go on vacation, they can rest. So it’s a lot.

A’ja Wilson said on the podcast

A’ja Wilson’s answer came in response to a question by the hosts about the WNBA’s schedule being the most difficult across sports. She answered affirmatively, emphasizing the difficulties she faced during the recently concluded WNBA season, which saw almost half the team’s roster appearing for their Olympic teams. She also touched upon the difficult adjustment period in the WNBA.

FS Video

Our rookie orientation isn’t anything too crazy — it’s obviously a day before the [WNBA] Draft, and you’re sitting there, and you’re talking — but it’s like, we don’t get to go work out for teams, we don’t have a combine. I went in, I got drafted, I literally did training camp, and then I came back to college just to walk, to graduate, and then I had to go play my first preseason game… It’s insane.

A’ja Wilson added

Although the WNBA season is just five months, compared to the nearly year-long NBA and MLB seasons, her arguments for the WNBA’s challenges mostly concerned the difficulty of rapidly adapting to the league as a young star.

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A’ja Wilson turns down Caitlin Clark-like offer

The Unrivaled 3×3 women’s basketball league was set to kick off early next year. However, it faced another setback as A’ja Wilson declined a lucrative offer to participate. This news closely followed reports that the WNBA’s rookie sensation, Caitlin Clark, also turned down a similar opportunity. Both players, seen as pivotal figures in women’s basketball, opted out despite significant financial incentives.

Reports suggested that A’ja Wilson’s offer exceeded the reported $1 million and equity deal proposed to Caitlin Clark, although there may never be an exact confirmation of those figures given Wilson’s decision. However, the Las Vegas Aces star chose to prioritize rest during the offseason, emphasizing recovery after the aforementioned grueling WNBA season. 

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A’ja Wilson’s absence is another blow to Unrivaled, which aims to revolutionize women’s basketball through its 3×3 format. Securing big names like Wilson and Caitlin Clark could have boosted the league’s visibility and credibility. For now, Unrivaled must recalibrate its strategy as it looks to build momentum ahead of its debut season.