Why is A'ja Wilson not playing in Unrivaled? 3x WNBA MVP's absence, explained

Over the past five years, A'ja Wilson has cemented herself as one of the top stars of the WNBA. However, despite being such a notable name in women's basketball, she will not be competing in the inaugural season of Unrivaled.

While Wilson might not be playing in Unrivaled, it is not because she was unwanted. The new league approached her about playing, but the three-time MVP declined the offer.

According to reports, A'ja Wilson turned down Unrivaled to prioritize resting her body in the offseason. It was a jam-packed year for her, competing in the WNBA and Summer Olympics.

"A’ja just, honestly, she likes to rest her body, she doesn't want to play year-round," said the source close to Wilson. "And she's an outlier of where, just on pure basketball, it's a 3-on-3 league, it's not a 5-on-5 league. So that's one thing. But she's really busy in the offseason. It just was not a great fit for her."

Wilson, 28, had arguably her best year as a pro in 2024. She averaged 26.9 points 11.9 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game for the Las Vegas Aces. This resulted in her taking home her third WNBA MVP in five years. On top of this, Wilson led Team USA to a gold medal and took home MVP honors in the Olympics.

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A'ja Wilson doesn't rule out playing in Unrivaled in the future

A'ja Wilson turned down playing in the first season of Unrivaled but has not completely ruled out partaking in the 3-on-3 league. In regards to the future, the superstar center seems to be keeping an open mind.

Back in September, Wilson was asked about her interest level in playing in Unrivaled. She stated that she won't be playing in it this year, but didn't rule out suiting up at some point down the line.

"Interested? I'm not going to completely cut it out, because you never know. But I will not be in Unrivaled this year," Wilson said.

A'ja Wilson is one of multiple big names who opted to not play in Unrivaled. Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark also declined the offer despite being highly sought after. The reigning Rookie of the Year also cited rest as one of the main reasons for not partaking.

Even with Wilson and others opting not to play, Unrivaled still secured a strong group of women to compete in the first season. There are current stars like Breanna Stewart, Napheesa Collier and Sabrina Ionescu, along with young players on the rise like Angel Reese and Cameron Brink.

Unrivaled is set to debut in Miami on January 17. They have a doubleheader scheduled for opening night that will be broadcast on TNT.