A'ja Wilson is coming off the most decorated individual season in WNBA history, becoming the first player ever to win MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, scoring title, and Finals MVP in the same year while leading the Las Vegas Aces to their third championship in four seasons.
However, her celebratory moment hasn't stopped in this WNBA offseason as well. In the second week of March, her boyfriend Bam Adebayo scored 83 points against the Washington Wizards, passing Kobe Bryant for the second-most points in an NBA game.
Wilson was there courtside to celebrate and later sat next to the Miami Heat center during the postgame press conference. When Adebayo credited her for inspiring his performance, the public moment put their relationship back in the spotlight.
Wilson, however, showed no interest in downplaying it. In a recent interview, the four-time MVP was open and direct about where things stand.
"I'm in love," she said, "but I also have to credit Bam because he loves me properly. I think that doesn't get talked about a lot. He loves me on my days where I don't know if I love myself, and he does it in a way that's not love-bombing. It's more, 'What do you need?'"
With a grin on her face, she then added, "Granted, he's attractive, yes. But the real reason is he just knows how to love me properly. And my parents like him, so."
They were first publicly linked during the 2024 Paris Olympics before Wilson officially confirmed the relationship in Feb. 2025 at the NBA All-Star Weekend. When asked about marriage in a Time 2025 Athlete of the Year interview, Wilson said she hoped she wasn't wasting her time.
Adebayo echoed the sentiment about public scrutiny, telling reporters that fans will know about a proposal because people are nosy and they'll look at her hands.
Her finances will change significantly in 2026. After playing on "team-friendly" deals that paid her around $200,000 a year, she is now expected to break the million by re-signing with the Aces, thanks to the new verbal CBA agreement.
Meanwhile, the Aces are scheduled to open their season on May 9 at T-Mobile Arena against the Phoenix Mercury. They will hold their ring ceremony that same evening to celebrate their 2025 championship.
