This is the online version of our daily newsletter, The Morning Win. Subscribe to get irreverent and incisive sports stories, delivered to your mailbox every morning. Here’s Mike Sykes.
A’ja Wilson lit the Atlanta Dream on fire Tuesday night with her epic 53-point performance. She also lit the internet on fire, too.
But the more I think about it, the more I feel like this incredible performance could use some added perspective.
Wilson’s game on Tuesday is one of the greatest scoring performances we’ve ever seen. Not just in the W. In the NBA, too. Throughout the history of basketball itself.
Let me be clear here: I always hate NBA comparisons when it comes to the WNBA because the league has its own spectacular history. We don’t have to compare these incredible women to the men’s side of the game for validation.
In this case, though, I think it just adds to the historical context of what Wilson just accomplished. Because y’all, we’ve rarely ever seen anything like this before. Seriously.
Let’s just start with what she did. Wilson dropped 53 points while making 20 of 23 shots from the field. She only shot one 3-pointer and hit 20 of 21 free throws. Wilson accomplished all of that in 33 minutes total, which is wild. You can watch the buckets here. They’re impressive.
A career night for the 2x WNBA M’VP, @_ajawilson22 🙌
Takin' a look at some of the best buckets of A’ja’s 53-PT game, which tied for the most points in a single #WNBA game EVER ‼
➡ A'ja Wilson: 53 PTS | 7 REB | 4 BLK | 69.6% FG #MoreThanGame pic.twitter.com/FuLKiEq337
— WNBA (@WNBA) August 23, 2023
With this performance, Wilson became just the third player in WNBA history to score at least 50 points in a game. She tied Liz Cambage, who scored 53 points in 2018, and surpassed Riquana Williams, who dropped 51 back in 2013.
Wilson dropped her 53 the fastest. Cambage played for 37 minutes against the Liberty and Williams played 34 against the Silver Stars. Wilson only played for 33 minutes out of a possible 40 against the Dream. If Wilson got closer to that 40-minute mark? This could’ve easily been a 60-point game.
Don’t worry, there’s more. Wilson is the only player in WNBA history to score that much that quickly, per Stathead. Only eight players in the history of both the WNBA and the NBA have done that. Wilson is now one of them. And it only took her 23 shots to get there. Kyrie Irving is the only other person who can make that claim.
When it comes to being one of the best scorers in the W, Wilson’s name doesn’t often come up — especially on the WNBA side. People will think of names like Diana Taurasi, Arike Ogunbowale, and Breanna Stewart. They’re absolutely right. Those are some absolute buckets. They can compete with anyone.
But after today? Put Wilson’s name there, too. She put on a clinic. And it’s one that we won’t be forgetting anytime soon.
Quick hits: Chris Jones ain’t coming to work today … Caleb Williams might not win the Heisman … and more
— Chris Jones told a fan he might be out until Week 8 as his contract holdout situation with the Chiefs gets worse. Cory Woodroof has more on how that impacts the betting side.
— Prince Grimes has a list of eight candidates to win the Heisman this year and, no, none of them are Caleb Williams.
— Here’s Caroline Darney on everything we know about these high-profile stars parting ways with Scooter Braun.
— Robert Zeglinski has the 9 best win total over/unders for the 2023 NFL season.
That’s all, folks. Be kind to one another today.
