A'ja Wilson named TIME's 2025 Athlete of the Year

Photograph by Kanya Iwana for TIME Magazine

A'ja Wilson is continuing to make waves in the world of sports with her latest title. The Las Vegas Aces player/ South Carolina native can add another title to her belt after being named Athlete of the Year by Time Magazine.

The title has marked and recognized Wilson's achievement as an athlete. In 2025, she became the first player in the history of the WNBA to win the league championship, Finals MVP, regular season MVP which is her record fourth, and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season.

Not only has the player achieved titles while on the court but she also achieved the title of author after she released her best-selling 2024 memoir, Dear Black Girls. She also became the first Black WNBA player in more than a decade to receive a signature shoe from Nike.