Lauren Jackson Backs A’ja Wilson in WNBA GOAT Debate

Lauren Jackson did not need much time to name her choice for the 2026 WNBA Most Valuable Player award.

“A’ja. A’ja Wilson,” Jackson told this writer during her visit to the Philippines for NBA House, which takes place this weekend.

“Again, she has had another remarkable season, and I don’t think anyone can really stack up to her,” she added. “There are so many great players over there. Obviously, I love Stewie. She’s a great player. But there’s also Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark. Actually, I’m naming everyone now, but I would say A’ja.”

Jackson is qualified to recognize dominant frontcourt play. The Australian basketball icon won three WNBA MVP awards, two championships, and the 2010 Finals MVP during her career with the Seattle Storm. She was also named Defensive Player of the Year in 2007, when she led the league in both scoring and rebounding.

The Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer retired with career averages of 18.9 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.8 blocks. Her ability to score from the post, stretch defenses with her shooting, and protect the rim helped redefine what a frontcourt player could become in the women’s game.

Through her first 36 games of 2026, the Las Vegas Aces star was averaging 26.0 points, 9.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 2.0 blocks and 1.4 steals while shooting 52.1 percent from the field, 40.7 percent from three, and 85.8 percent from the free-throw line, according to WNBA.com and Her Hoop Stats.

The advanced numbers strengthen her case. WNBA.com’s MVP tracker, using statistics through August 18, had Wilson leading all players with at least 30 appearances in Player Impact Estimate at 21.2. She also carried a league-high 32 percent usage rate while maintaining a 62 percent true-shooting mark.

Las Vegas had an 11.0 net rating with Wilson on the court and a minus-16.6 rating when she sat, which is a 27.6-point swing that illustrates how dramatically the Aces’ performance changed without her. Her Hoop Stats also credited Wilson with a 32.2 Player Efficiency Rating and 7.8 win shares through 36 games.

Those figures represent only the latest layer of a resume that has already forced Wilson into the greatest-of-all-time discussion.

Selected first overall by Las Vegas in 2018, Wilson immediately won Rookie of the Year. She has since collected a WNBA-record four regular-season MVP awards, three championships, two Finals MVPs, and three Defensive Player of the Year honors.

Her 2024 season produced a league-record 1,021 points, making her the first WNBA player to cross the 1,000-point mark in a regular season. She also became the first player in WNBA or NBA history to lead a league in total points, rebounds and blocked shots in the same campaign.

Wilson somehow found another historic combination in 2025. She became the first player across either league to win a scoring title, regular-season MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and Finals MVP in one season. She averaged 28.5 points, 11.8 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.0 blocks during the Finals as Las Vegas captured its third championship in four years.

That is the body of work Jackson was referring to when asked whether Wilson could already be considered the greatest player in WNBA history.

“I just think it’s her pure dominance, especially in an era when the league has grown so much,” Jackson said. “She has been unstoppable for a period of time, so it’s been awesome to watch.

“And then, obviously, she’s a four-time, possibly five-time, MVP. It’s hard to argue against that.”

The honor remains subjective. Diana Taurasi established the standard for longevity and scoring, retiring with a league-record 10,646 points, three championships, and two Finals MVP awards. WNBA fans voted her the league’s greatest player in 2021.

Cynthia Cooper won the first four championships in league history and was named Finals MVP every time. Lisa Leslie paired three MVPs with two titles, while Jackson herself achieved the same combination and produced one of the greatest individual seasons ever in 2007.

Wilson’s advantage is the completeness of her case. At 30 years old, she already owns more regular-season MVPs than any other player, has led a dynasty, and continues to control games on both ends of the floor. A fifth MVP would place even more distance between Wilson and every previous winner.

“I love watching her play,” Jackson said. “When the Fever are on, it’s so much fun to watch. When she’s banging threes, moving the ball so fast and able to pass, it’s fun.”

Clark has received intense public scrutiny since entering the WNBA, but Jackson believes the young guard has responded well.

“Every player is going to cop their fair share of criticism, and I think she’s handled that really well,” Jackson said. “People are going to have their favorites, and people are going to have players they don’t like. But I think she’s incredible, and I think she handles it really well.”

Beyond discussing the league’s biggest names, Jackson used her Philippine visit to emphasize what the country needs to produce a future Filipina WNBA player. She identified organized development pathways and visible representation as essential starting points.

“I think pathways are obviously critical, and that’s within the national federations and things like that,” Jackson said. “But I think having that visible representation of their idols is important.”

Jackson pointed to NBA House as an opportunity for Filipino fans and young players to see where basketball can take them.

“Being able to bring incredible athletes and legends of the game here shows people what is possible and where you can go in the sport if you love it,” she said. “Basketball is truly global. It’s a sport that can take you anywhere.”

The message, she added, becomes more powerful when aspiring players can meet the people they admire.

When asked which current players most resemble her own game, Jackson returned to the two stars at the center of the modern frontcourt conversation: Wilson and Breanna Stewart.

“Stewie obviously has more guard skills than what I had, and I was an inside presence, especially toward the end of my career,” Jackson said. “I learned a lot from Anne Donovan, who was another Hall of Famer and our coach. She really taught me the inside game.

“So I would say a bit of a mix of both.”

For a player whose own career remains part of every serious WNBA GOAT discussion, Jackson’s assessment carries particular weight. She sees pieces of herself in Wilson, but she also sees a level of sustained dominance that is becoming increasingly difficult to dispute.