It was an impressive 102-76 win by Team USA over Japan in their first game of the Paris 2024 Olympics with A'ja Wilson leading the pack.
Before their next matchup on Aug.1, Wilson's Aces teammate Jackie Young shared a video of the enormous pizza dish that the two-time MVP finished with ease. Young pointed the camera at Wilson and hilariously said:
"The biggest back."
In the video, the Aces guard wasn't even finished with her pizza dish as the two teammates were enjoying their time together ahead of tomorrow's ball game.
During their game against Japan, A'ja Wilson led all scorers with her 24-point performance (63% shooting), while Jackie Young showed out with a seven-point outing.
With a pizza dish that was finished with little to no leftovers left, Wilson had a hilarious response to Young.
"Measure it," Wilson said.
The Aces center has been having an incredible 2024 season with the kind of production she is delivering at both ends of the court. In the 23 games she's played this season, Wilson has put up 27.2 points (52.7% shooting, including 38.9% from three-point range), 11.9 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game.
A'ja Wilson highlighted USA Basketball's effective gameplan in getting the better of Team Japan
It didn't take long before Team USA got things going against Japan last Monday in a practice match. They were focused on what they were going to do and were successful in executing it across all four quarters of the contest.
Following the impressive win over Japan, A'ja Wilson talked about how they got the advantage in their first matchup of the Paris Olympics, as per The Washington Post's Ben Golliver.
"We tried to punish them," Wilson said. "Points in the paint and controlling the paint are going to be huge for us going forward. If we can continue that, we're going to be in good shape."
Size is a factor that Team USA wants to utilize to its fullest potential. Wilson is known to be one of the best low-post and paint scorers in the WNBA. Her combination of athleticism and tough shotmaking makes her a matchup nightmare for several opponents.
Aside from Wilson's offense, her defensive presence at the rim establishes a stable option for the team down low.
Her skill set on the court is mirrored by the efforts of Breanna Stewart and Brittney Griner who are forwards/centers that can provide almost the same level of production.
It's critical for teams to establish a sense of identity when competing in the Olympics. Luckily for Team USA, their chosen game style went off to a good start against Japan.