Alyssa Thomas vs A'ja Wilson: Closer look at battles between MVP rivals ahead of 2025 WNBA Finals duel

The 2025 WNBA Finals between the Phoenix Mercury and Las Vegas Aces showcases a duel between two of the league’s best players -- Alyssa Thomas and MVP A’ja Wilson.

Thomas, who placed third in MVP voting, delivered arguably the finest season of her career, averaging 15.4 points, 8.2 assists and 8.8 rebounds per game.

She guided Phoenix to a 27-17 record and the No. 4 seed, then led them past the defending champion New York Liberty and top-seeded Minnesota Lynx in the postseason.

Wilson, meanwhile, closed the season on a tear, powering the Aces to a 16-game win streak that pushed them into second place. She put up 23.4 ppg, 10.2 rpg and 3.1 apg, along with 1.6 steals and 2.3 blocks per contest.

Las Vegas finished 30-14 and defeated the Seattle Storm and Indiana Fever to book their ticket to the Finals.

Here’s a breakdown of how the two stars have fared against each other.

Alyssa Thomas vs A'ja Wilson: Head-to-head

In regular-season matchups, Wilson holds an 11-6 career edge over Thomas.

This season, the Mercury won their first meeting 76-70, with Thomas tallying 14 points and 13 assists, while Wilson sat out.

In the second clash, Wilson erupted for 26 points, 18 rebounds and seven assists to lift the Aces to an 84-81 win, while Thomas posted 16 points, eight assists and seven rebounds.

The next two contests went to Las Vegas as part of their season-ending streak. In an 86-83 victory on Aug. 15, Wilson dropped 30 points and 16 rebounds, while Thomas logged 15 points, nine assists and six rebounds.

Their final regular-season matchup ended in an 83-61 blowout for the Aces, with Wilson contributing 18 points and 13 rebounds, while Thomas countered with 17 points, 11 rebounds and six assists.

For the season, Thomas averaged 16.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 7.7 assists in three games against Wilson, while Wilson put up 25.0 points, 15.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists.

Alyssa Thomas vs A'ja Wilson: Playoff history

Their rivalry stretches back to Thomas’ Connecticut Sun days.

In the 2020 playoffs, Wilson’s Aces edged Thomas’ Sun 3-2 before falling to the Seattle Storm in the Finals.

In 2022, the two met again on the Finals stage, with Las Vegas winning the championship in four games.

Across nine playoff games head-to-head, Wilson has averaged 21.0 ppg, 10.1 rpg and 2.8 bpg, while Thomas has posted 15.4 ppg, 8.4 rpg and 5.1 apg.

About the author

John Ezekiel Hirro is an experienced NBA and WNBA journalist at Sportskeeda, with over five years in the field as a news correspondent, sports writer, and Editor-in-Chief. His sports writing career began in high school, where he garnered numerous accolades, including being named the national sports writing champion in 2016.

He earned his journalism degree from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines in 2024 and served as the Editor-in-Chief of The Varsitarian, the university's official student publication, for four years—the longest in history.

A passionate basketball enthusiast, he became a fan of the OKC Thunder during the Russ-KD-Harden era. Russell Westbrook, his all-time favorite athlete, impressed him by stepping up as MVP after Kevin Durant's departure. His current favorite players include Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, who he believes are the future of the OKC franchise.

He excels in game analysis and rapid news story turnaround, drawing inspiration from the journalistic styles of Woj and Shams. He emphasizes thorough research to ensure accuracy in his articles. One of his most memorable moments is Russell Westbrook breaking Oscar Robertson's record with his 42nd triple-double and securing a 106-105 victory over the Denver Nuggets with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer. Outside of writing, he enjoys listening to music and creating Spotify playlists.

Know More

Edited by John Ezekiel Hirro