Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson started another gender war in the basketball world. This one could be rather enjoyable. Wilson, a three-time MVP, who dominated the league this past season, outshining all of the game’s celebrated players, including Caitlin Clark, has an array of skills that makes her a WNBA GOAT candidate.
A’ja Wilson Says She Would Beat NY Knicks Guard Josh Hart In 1 v 1
Wilson’s confidence and swag is part of the package that elevated her to two-time champion and a recent recipient of a Nike signature shoe. That brashness also got her into some hot water on social media.
In a recent episode of the “Roommates” show with New York Knicks guards Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart that now has about 700K views, Wilson, who averaged 26.9 points and 11.9 rebounds per game this season claimed that she could beat Hart in a one-on-one game. Wilson went as far as to predict a final score of 11-8.
“I would get the ball, and you would never get it back,” boasted Wilson. Then she got serious and said, “Score would be 11-8, me. I’m not saying you gonna go scoreless, 8 to 11 is pretty solid. So, what do you think it’ll be, Josh?” Wilson said. Hart appeared to recognize that Wilson was just creating some controversy and they both laughed.
Josh Hart Says He Would Beat A’ja Wilson 11-2 In a 1 v 1
Then he offered a score of 11-2 in his favor, which he later amended it to 11-7 in his favor, before they started going back and forth.
Brunson interjected that he would “pay to see that” matchup. Following a WNBA and college season where women’s basketball exploded, a battle of the sexes between A’ja Wilson and Hart would probably be great for streaming services, pay-per-view and social media. It would attract huge interest from people being that basketball is a universal sport and gender wars are always attractive to sports fans.
Some Male Fans Attack A’ja Wilson For Saying She Could Beat Josh Hart In a 1 v 1
However, there were several fans on social media who immediately got in their own feelings and lashed out at Wilson for even forming her lips to say she could beat an established and accomplished NBA player. Some fans took it personal, as if she was diminishing Hart’s role as a bench player and boosting her status as someone with “G-14 Classification,” as Shaq would say.
“She’d lose 11-0 w him only playing w his offhand,” one fan said.
“Josh hart would average 60 PPG on the Aces,” commented one X user.
“I really wish some NBA player would play a WNBA player 1v1, but like for real real. Just so they can stop gaslighting up this talk that they could compete with NBA players, let alone be better than them in a 1v1.”
Another X user chimed in: “She’d lose to Pacome Dadiet.“
Wilson did have a few defenders.
“Aja will cook him what are we talking about,” said one X user. To which another fan responded, “How can I bet on it? Josh rolls her easily.”
One Wilson fan mentioned, “she’d actually embarrass josh i’m not even joking.”
Meanwhile, another fan chauvinistically remarked, “Only a woman would say it ‘8-11’”
WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson vs Any NBA Player Would Be Big Money Streaming Event
Some fans were eager to see it happen, to stop what they feel is a delusion that Wilson could compete with an NBA player.
“Let’s set it up and then when she gets embarrassed let’s never make these silly claims again,” said one fan.
“Don’t think Josh would even feel comfortable playing his max effort against her,” said another.
“The placating they’re forced to do for these female athletes to make them feel better it’s like when you have to let a child win so they don’t get upset/mad cause you’re an adult and know better. As if it’s not enough that the NBA subsidizes the WNBA”
The smugness and disrespectful dismissiveness of some male X users, inspired others to root for Wilson to win if the matchup ever did occur.
“love the boys but man i hope she wipes the floor clean with him.” an X user said. His enthusiasm was tempered by another fan who isn’t even in the NBA and commented, “I am beating aja 11-0.”
It was obvious that A’ja had men all up in their feelings, which means that a potential matchup between her and any NBA player would cause a firestorm of opinions and eyes on social media.
When Sabrina Ionescu represented herself well against Steph Curry in a three-point contest during NBA All-Star Week in 2024 in February, it was very popular, despite the fact that they shot from two different distances. A’ja vs. Hart would be straight up and possibly another come-up that the WNBA needs.
