A’ja Wilson shared a rare statement on social media after facing backlash from Caitlin Clark fans for her comments to TIME Magazine. Wilson was named TIME’s 2025 Athlete of the Year in December.

She gave an interview to the magazine and expressed her dislike of how the media has treated the WNBA’s recent growth. Her comments suggested that the credit Clark gets for the league’s newfound popularity does not bode well with her.

“Let’s not lose the history. It was erased for a minute. And I don’t like that,” Wilson said. “Because we have tons of women that have been through the grimiest of grimy things to get the league where it is today.”

A’ja Wilson‘s comments landed her in hot water with Caitlin Clark’s fanbase, who criticized the four-time MVP on social media. She replied to the trolls on Threads, suggesting that fans are looking for topics to “stir up” trouble.

“You can always tell who reads articles for joy and better understanding of something or someone vs. who reads articles just to look for something they disagree on or to “stir up” stuff 😂 it’s crazy out here! Y’all be blessed,” she wrote. “It’s just funny how you can tell off rip.”

A closer look at A’ja Wilson’s historic 2025 WNBA season

With the way the Las Vegas Aces started the 2025 season, no one would’ve guessed that A’ja Wilson would lead the team to the title. But the team flipped a switch in August and went on a dominant run marked by their rise from eighth place in the standings to their second-place finish.

The Aces continued to string together win after win, going on to grab their third title in the last three years. Wilson played no small part in the team’s success, averaging 23.4 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. Her stellar two-way play saw her win both the MVP and the Defensive Player of the Year awards.

To cap off what was already a legendary season, she also won the Finals MVP award and became the youngest player in WNBA history to reach 5,000 career points.