PARIS — A’ja Wilson feeds off greed.
The best women’s basketball player in the world, the athlete widely considered at the top of her game because of her ability to dominate both ends of the floor, Wilson is on a quest to cement her Olympic legacy Sunday when the U.S. women go for their eighth consecutive gold medal. It would be her second in a row.
Earlier in the Paris Olympics, when Wilson was asked what was left on her bucket list. The MVP favorite this WNBA season – it would be her third in five years – Wilson already has two WNBA championships, two WNBA defensive player of the year awards, an NCAA title and college player of the year trophy and a statute of her likeness outside her college arena in Columbia, South Carolina.
What else could she possibly want to do?
The greed comment was Wilson’s way of saying there is no limit on what she thinks she can accomplish in basketball.
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Before Paris, Wilson told USA TODAY Sports she takes a special pride in excelling on the world stage.
Shining for Team USA, Wilson said ‘makes me happy because anybody can go and be top dog on a team and be the No. 1 option. But can you go do that on a team where you’re full of No. 1 options?’
Wilson became a star for Team USA at the 2022 World Cup in Sydney, Australia, where she won MVP honors after leading the team in points (17.2) and rebounds (7.5). That tournament, on the heels of the Las Vegas Aces’ first WNBA title, was when Wilson realized how good she could be on the world stage, too.
‘That was a great test for me,’ she said. ‘Anyone can be great at one thing, but can you be great in different spaces?’
Just 28 − she celebrated her birthday at the Games − Wilson is only now entering her prime. Given the evolving sports science that’s helping athletes compete into their 40s, coupled with the fact that Wilson has never gone overseas in the winter which has lessened the wear and tear on her body, it’s intriguing to think how long she could play at a high level.
In Paris, Wilson has averaged a team-leading 18.2 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2.4 blocks in the Americans’ five wins. The tandem of her and New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart (18.0 points and 1.6 blocks), a two-time MVP herself, has proved to be lethal.
Six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi has called them ‘the best two players in the world.’ Coach Cheryl Reeve said she’s regularly ‘wowed’ by them. And they’ve enjoyed continuing to build chemistry with each other, evidenced by the number of times they’re helping each other score. One assisting the other has become a common occurrence this tournament, often grabbing a rebound.
‘We like to give each other space to work,’ Stewart said, ‘whether it’s in transition or high-low to each other, and it’s the same defensively.”
Wilson thinks a lot about how her game can continue to evolve, specifically as she adds more perimeter skills, including defensively.
‘I want to be able to guard every position, one through five, really well,’ Wilson said. ‘Right now I feel like I’ve got four and five somewhat down pat. But on the defensive side, I never want teams to feel like they can put me in certain actions because I’m a liability. I really want to be able to say, I can guard one through five and good luck getting past me.’
Bottom line, Wilson might have an impressive résumé already, but she wants more.
Like she said, she’s greedy.
Email Lindsay Schnell at lschnell@usatoday.com and follow her on social media @Lindsay_Schnell.
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