Story perspectives

A’ja Wilson wins 2026 WNBA MVP for third straight year

By Drooid · Oct 9, 2026, 2:47 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

A'ja Wilson Wins MVP

A'ja Wilson won the 2026 WNBA MVP, her fifth and first player to earn three straight MVP awards.
She received 65 of 74 first-place votes, nine second-place votes, for a total of 713 points.
Wilson led the league with 26.2 points per game on 52.7% shooting.
She became the first WNBA player to average 25+ points while shooting 50%+ and 40%+ from three.

Summary

Kia Sponsors MVP

Wilson receives the MVP award, including $60,000 cash and a Tiffany & Co-designed trophy.
Kia, the league’s official automotive partner, sponsors the award and touts its 2026 TIME World’s Most Sustainable Company status.
The sponsorship promotes Kia’s EV6, EV9, Sportage, Sorento and Telluride models built in the United States.
Wilson’s MVP win secures her a role in the league’s promotional campaigns for the 2026 season.

History

Historical Context

In 1997 the WNBA launched with eight teams, and Cynthia Cooper led the Houston Comets to the first championship while earning the league’s inaugural MVP and a $12 million NBC television deal. Her on-court dominance and market breakthrough established a revenue model that has since expanded into larger media contracts and higher player salaries, paving the way for A’ja Wilson’s 2026 triple-MVP achievement.

1 of 3

A'ja Wilson Wins MVP

A'ja Wilson won the 2026 WNBA MVP, her fifth and first player to earn three straight MVP awards.
She received 65 of 74 first-place votes, nine second-place votes, for a total of 713 points.
Wilson led the league with 26.2 points per game on 52.7% shooting.
She became the first WNBA player to average 25+ points while shooting 50%+ and 40%+ from three.

1 / 3