A’ja Wilson’s friend compares her previous 'race-based' rivalry with Breanna Stewart to current Caitlin Clark-Angel Reese debate

The reigning WNBA MVP, A’ja Wilson, has been the most dominant player in the league for over three years, leading the Las Vegas Aces to two titles in 2022 and 2023. With her current dominance in the league and the rise of the Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese rivalry, some fans could not help but look back on Wilson’s fan-driven feud against Breanna Stewart.

Wilson’s friend Michael McManus, who is also known on social media as Deloris, pointed it out on X, saying that Stewart and Wilson’s initial rivalry was race-driven, just like Clark and Reese's today.

“It is completely false and disingenuous to get on this app and act as if the rivalry between A’ja and Stewie didn’t come with race based attacks and convos initially,” Deloris wrote. “Trying to reframe their legacies as some sort of sisterly friendship is crazy.”

“The only reason why yall are even trying to make that connection is to show it in opposition to AR and CC,” he added in a separate X post. “I’m not blaming Stewie I’m speaking to the reality of what took place.”

Wilson and Stewart were drafted two years apart. Wilson, a 3x MVP, was picked first in the 2018 draft, while 2x MVP Stewart was the top pick in 2016.

Both players have already won WNBA titles in their careers. Last year, Stewart picked up her third championship, winning it with the New York Liberty.

Playing with almost similar styles, Wilson and Stewart have long been pitted against each other. However, the rivalry remained respectful and purely competitive, as both expressed in their interviews throughout the years.

Meanwhile, Reese and Clark have had the most heated rivalry in women’s basketball since the two came on the scene in their collegiate years.

Their rivalry has been credited with driving the sport’s rise in popularity last year.

A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart speak on friendship

A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart took numerous trips together while playing with Team USA. The two looked back on their relationship in an interview with ESPN in 2024.

"It's been incredible, and the reason why I will always rock with Stewie is because she never changes. … she's always been that. We've always been just two happy-go-lucky girls that have just been gifted with talent to play basketball very well,” Wilson said.

"A'ja and I know that we're the ones that are going to continue to push this thing forward, on and off the court, and take tons of pride in that," Stewart said.

The two are expected to go at it once more this year, as both the Aces and Liberty are among the top contenders for the title this year.