A'ja Wilson Out for Aces vs. Mystics with Wrist Injury

The Las Vegas Aces confirmed three-time WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson will miss Thursday's game against the Washington Mystics with a right wrist injury.

Wilson was only on the floor for 14 minutes in her team's 87-78 loss to the New York Liberty on Tuesday. She landed awkwardly while going up for a layup in the second quarter and came up favoring her wrist.

The 6'4" center was on hand for the Aces' shootaround but had a brace on her right hand:

Even with Las Vegas sitting ninth in the WNBA at 9-10, Wilson is building a compelling case for a fourth MVP.

She's averaging 20.7 points, 8.7 rebounds and 2.4 blocks through 16 appearances. The Aces are a whopping 19.9 points per 100 possessions worse when she's not on the floor, according to WNBA.com.

A lack of depth doomed Vegas' three-peat bid in 2024. The team was overmatched by the Liberty in the semifinals.

The same problem exists now, with the added difficulty that Jewell Loyd has been a downgrade from Kelsey Plum in the backcourt. Loyd's 10.4 points per game are on pace to be a career low, and she's shooting just 36.6 percent from inside the three-point arc.

The strain of the season is evident in some of head coach Becky Hammon's postgame press conferences. After a 27-point loss to the Indiana Fever on July 3, she said her squad showed "a complete lack of professionalism" and called the game "the worst offensive night I've ever seen" as the coach.

Acquiring forward NaLyssa Smith at the expense of a 2027 first-round pick was a sign of the franchise's desire to contend this season. The Aces will be in serious trouble, though, if Wilson is out for any extended stretch.