A'ja Wilson Enters Concussion Protocol, Out for Aces vs. Paige Bueckers, Wings

The Las Vegas Aces announced star center A'ja Wilson will miss Friday's game against the Dallas Wings.

The three-time MVP is in the WNBA's concussion protocol after leaving the Aces' 97-89 defeat to the Los Angeles Sparks with a head injury.

The Sparks game highlighted the two biggest problems for Vegas so far to open the 2025 season.

The Aces rank ninth in defensive rating (103.5), per WNBA.com, which is a far cry from the identity they built during their back-to-back championship run. Allowing 97 points on 56.9 percent shooting isn't an outlier for Becky Hammon's squad.

At the other end of the court, the offense was far too top-heavy. Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young combined for 62 points against Los Angeles. Wilson was the next closest scorer with 13.

Las Vegas traded for Jewell Loyd in the hope she'd seamlessly replace Kelsey Plum in the backcourt. Instead, Loyd is shooting 29.9 percent from the floor and averaging 9.1 points per night.

Hammon said shifting the six-time All-Star to the bench has been discussed in an effort to help her rediscover her rhythm:

Wilson is the team leader in all five major statistical categories with 20.9 points, 9.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 2.0 steals and 2.6 blocks. That's a testament to the fact that she's the best player in the WNBA and that the Aces are too reliant on her at the moment.

Removing the 2024 scoring champ from the lineup is a major blow given the Aces' struggles.