For the second straight game, A’ja Wilson didn’t look like herself, struggling to find her usual rhythm on offense. The Las Vegas Aces star, who is normally automatic inside the paint, shot below her standard in the recent loss. But head coach Becky Hammon quickly dismissed any concern, making it clear that Wilson’s off night is only temporary.
“I think she just missed. Honestly, she had a lot of great looks. She just missed and that happens. Even the greatest players have nights off, like where they miss. So I’ll tell you that she doesn’t normally lay two stinkers in a row,” Hammon said.
Hammon’s point was simple: a rare slump from A’ja Wilson is not a sign of decline, but a setup for a strong bounce back. “She’s somebody who bounces back, makes the adjustments,” Hammon added, stressing that her star’s mentality is one of resilience.
Wilson isn’t just the Aces’ leading scorer. She is also their anchor and emotional leader, a player who has carried the franchise through countless battles. That consistency is why Hammon warns the Indiana Fever and the rest of the league to expect a quick turnaround.
Slumps happen in every sport, but in Wilson’s case, history suggests they don’t last long. With the Aces needing to regroup, all eyes will be on how quickly their star resets. If Hammon’s confidence is any sign, the response from A’ja Wilson could be emphatic.
Becky Hammon urges team not to depend on A’ja Wilson
Basketball is a team sport composed of 5 players plus the bench. While a superstar’s contribution can carry the team in games, they can be susceptible to bad nights, too. And that’s why Becky Hammon had to remind the team the fact that the game shouldn’t run on A’ja Wilson’s performance.
“I know we’re capable, but not when we play like that. You know, God forbid A’ja doesn’t drop 40 for us. Like, we had 12 assists tonight in 40 minutes and 12 turnovers,” Hammon said. “I thought it was really poor.”
Any coach worth their salt knows this is a frustrating situation. Hammon is pushing the rest of the roster to step up. If your star player steps up and takes the game by the horn, great. But in days where they turn up as just another cog in the game, the rest of the engine must function. A key point that needs to happen if the Aces wants to stay on top of their game.
No doubt, this further shows the importance that A’ja Wilson brings to her team. But it’s also a sign that star is not a team, but a group of working athletes is.
For more basketball content, click on Hardwood Heroics. Sabel Reyes can be reached through sabelreyes22@gmail.com. Other websites under the Sports Heroics umbrella are Gridiron Heroics and Wisconsin Heroics.
Sabel has been working as a field reporter for People’s Television Network (PTV), mainly about the Philippine Basketball Association since 2016 and has been elevated to Executive Producer for sports in 2022. Aside from being on top of the Philippine sports scene, she is also a running enthusiast. You can also follow her on X at @SabelReyes2 and Instagram at @msabelreyes.
