A’ja Wilson added two more major awards to a summer already built around her.
The Las Vegas Aces star won Best Athlete: Women’s Sports and Best WNBA Player at the 2026 ESPYs on Wednesday in New York. The honors added another national stage to Wilson’s growing influence on and off the court.
Another national sweep
Wilson entered the ESPYs after winning Sportswoman of the Year at the BET Awards in June.
Meanwhile, Nike released the A’Two, Wilson’s second signature basketball shoe, in May. Wheaties also selected her for a limited-edition box scheduled to reach major retailers this summer.
The awards and partnerships reach different audiences. Together, they show how far Wilson’s profile has expanded beyond basketball.
She remains the face of the Aces on the court. Now her name also carries weight across fashion, culture and national advertising.
Basketball owns the night
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson won Best Athlete: Men’s Sports, Best NBA Player and Best Championship Performance. The Knicks also received Best Team.
Figure skater Alysa Liu won Best Breakthrough Athlete. Marcello Hernández hosted the ceremony at Lincoln Center in New York.
Still, Wilson carried Las Vegas into the center of the night.
All-Star honors follow
The ESPYs were only part of Wilson’s week.
One day earlier, Teresa Weatherspoon selected Wilson first from the starters in the 2026 WNBA All-Star draft. She will play for Team Spoon on July 25 in Chicago.
Aces teammate Jackie Young landed on Team Coop. Becky Hammon will coach that group, giving Las Vegas three representatives across the two teams. Wilson will make her eighth All-Star appearance, while Young earned her fifth consecutive selection.
The Aces have raised championship banners and handed out rings. Wilson has collected MVPs, signature shoes, national awards and now a Wheaties box.
At this point, the honors are not building her legacy.
They are catching up to it.
Up next
The Aces are midway through an eight-day break after splitting a back-to-back against Phoenix and Indiana.
Las Vegas returns Monday, July 20, against the Toronto Tempo at Coca-Cola Coliseum. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m. Pacific on Peacock.
The road trip continues Wednesday, July 22, against the Washington Mystics at CareFirst Arena. Tipoff is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Pacific.
The Aces then return to Michelob ULTRA Arena for two home games. They host the Portland Fire on Tuesday, July 28, at 7 p.m. before facing the New York Liberty on Thursday, July 30, at 7 p.m.
After that, Las Vegas opens August with a five-game road trip through Chicago, Atlanta, Indiana, Minnesota and New York.
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Dice City Sports editor Mark Hebert covers the Las Vegas Aces, Vegas Golden Knights, Las Vegas Raiders, Athletics, and UNLV baseball and softball. He has 24 years of journalism experience, is also a senior reporter at Exhibit City News, and previously covered the Dallas Stars and Texas Rangers. Follow him on X or connect on LinkedIn.
