A’ja Wilson drops 40 points and showed why her ranking in NBA2K is on point

Wilson is just the eighth player in WNBA history to record at least 40 points and 10 rebounds in a game.

Las Vegas Aces forward A’ja Wilson dropped 40 points and 12 rebounds against the Washington Mystics on Friday in a 113-89 win. She is just the eighth player in WNBA history to record at least 40 points and 10 rebounds in a game.

Wilson scored the 40-piece without a single 3-pointer, which broke her own WNBA record for most points scored in a game without a triple. With Wilson’s 12 rebounds, she heads into second place in Aces history for career rebounds (1,536).

She is also the highest-ranked WNBA player in NBA 2K24 with a rating of 98. The next closest player is Breanna Stewart of the New York Liberty with a 96 and the Liberty’s Jonquel Jones with a 94.

Wilson is averaging 21.2 points, 9.7 rebounds and 1.9 assists this season. The Aces’ next game is against the Atlanta Dream on Sunday, followed by the Commissioner’s Cup championship game against the Liberty on Tuesday.

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WNBA expansion could come in 2025, but some players believe charter flights are more important

While many believe expansion is a long time coming, some players believe there are more important items on the to-do list.

The WNBA’s viewership is steadily rising and its media rights deal is up for renegotiation after the 2025 season. In light of this, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert shared updated information with the media on league expansion.

“Obviously, we’re working very hard on expansion,” Engelbert told reporters on Sunday. “This is really something I think we need to do, not just because of opening up potentially 12-24 roster spots, but also with a league that’s the longest-tenured women’s professional league in the country by double any other. We need more than 12 teams.”

As per an article by Front Office Sports, the 10 cities under consideration include the Bay Area, Nashville, Toronto, Austin, Denver, Charlotte, Philadelphia and Portland.

“We need to be in some big cities in this country where all of our data and information shows that there are some great markets for WNBA basketball,” Engelbert said. “We’re excited, capitalizing off NCAA popularity, and, hopefully, to talk more about that as we get further into the season this year.”

While many believe expansion is a long time coming, some players believe there are more important items on the to-do list that should be addressed first. At All-Star Weekend, Las Vegas Aces guard Kelsey Plum addressed the media about charter flights and expansion.

“If you were to poll the players right now,” Plum said, “and ask if they’d rather have expansion or charter, I think it’s a pretty clear consensus across the board.”

Las Vegas teammate A’ja Wilson echoed Plum’s sentiments: “You need to take care of what you have now before you can expand and grow. I think that comes from the owners. I think we should put owners on the book and say, ‘Hey, put your money where your mouth is and protect your players.'”

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Four former Notre Dame players named WNBA All-Stars

Which All-Star is your favorite?

[autotag]Muffet McGraw[/autotag] isn’t long removed from coach, so her legacy in form of WNBA players will continue for some time. Eventually, we hope to see the same effects from [autotag]Niele Ivey[/autotag]’s coaching. For now, Notre Dame fans should be pleased that four former Irish players have been named to the 2022 WNBA All-Star Game. No other university has more representation in this year’s event.

The number of Irish alumni in this year’s game became official with the announcement of the 12 reserves, On Saturday, they, along with the 10 selected starters, will be split up into teams captained by A’ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces and Breanna Stewart of the Seattle Storm. The teams then will face off in the game, which is being held in Chicago.

If you’re a Notre Dame women’s basketball enthusiast, you won’t be disappointed with this game. Here are the players for you to watch and reminisce about: