A’ja Wilson wasn’t the least bit hindered in her return from a three-game injury absence Thursday night.
Wilson takes aim at another strong outing on Saturday when the Las Vegas Aces host the Phoenix Mercury.
The four-time league MVP missed three games with an injured right ankle and wasted no time returning to her usual standard. She ended up with a game-high 32 points and 10 rebounds to help Las Vegas notch an 88-80 road victory over the Portland Fire.
“Early on, I was just testing my ankle to see if it was ready to rock and roll,” Wilson told reporters. “I felt like I was ready a couple of games ago, but the medical staff said something different.
“I just knew that I had to be aggressive and take what the defense was giving me.”
Wilson made 10 of 19 field-goal attempts – splitting two 3-point tries – and hit 11 of 13 free throws while playing 30 minutes.
Jackie Young added 19 points, 11 assists and three steals as Las Vegas (16-6) moved into a tie with the Minnesota Lynx for the best record in the WNBA.
That victory also gave Becky Hammon one of the coaching spots for the All-Star Game July 25 in Chicago. The coaches of the teams with the two best records as of Friday receive that honor. Minnesota’s Cheryl Reeve will be the other coach.
Phoenix (8-15) and Las Vegas split two meetings earlier this season. The Mercury notched their most impressive win of the season in their 2026 opener when they blew out the host Aces 99-66 on May 9 in Sin City.
On Tuesday, Phoenix veteran DeWanna Bonner became the third player in WNBA history to exceed 8,000 career points. Bonner (8,014) trails Tina Charles (8,396) and Mercury legend Diana Taurasi (10,646), the latter a former teammate.
Bonner, who turns 39 next month, averages 9.0 points per game this season in her 17th WNBA campaign.
“The older you get, just understanding what to put in your body and what fuels you,” Bonner told the team website. “What it takes to warm up, and how you treat your body after a game is huge. It’s important. You take a beating out there, so you have to love on your body a little bit more. Especially the older you get.”
Bonner had nine points and a team-high seven rebounds in Thursday’s 92-89 home loss to the Indiana Fever. Alyssa Thomas led the way with 22 points, seven assists and six rebounds.
Phoenix has lost consecutive games after winning its previous three.
–Field Level Media
