Time Magazine Names A’ja Wilson as 2025 Athlete of the Year

WNBA superstar A’ja Wilson, three-time WNBA MVP, received the coveted honor of being named Time 2025 Athlete of the Year. This is Wilson’s second time covering Time; previously gracing the cover with stellar gymnast Jordan Chiles.

Wilson is an elite member of ballers, and her stats prove it. The 6-foot-4 superstar had a historic season, winning the scoring title, Defensive Player of the Year, league MVP, Finals MVP, and a championship—all in the same year.

She also became the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 5,000 points and is the first in WNBA or NBA history to achieve these honors in one season. This makes her one of only four players in either league to win four MVP awards before age 30.

“Sometimes you’ve just got to get knocked down to get built back up. … I think 2025 was a wake-up call that I needed, to let me know that I can’t be satisfied with anything.” — A’ja Wilson Is TIME’s 2025 Athlete of the Year