NaLyssa Smith shows love to A’ja Wilson after incident involving Paige Bueckers goes viral - “Realest in the game”

The Las Vegas Aces-Dallas Wings preseason matchup was filled with several highlight moments, but one incident quickly went viral on social media. Shortly after Paige Bueckers’ hilarious antics, a wholesome exchange between NaLyssa Smith and A’ja Wilson left fans in awe.

Cameras at Purcell Pavilion caught Wilson sharing some invaluable advice with Smith during a live possession.

“At this moment, you cannot convince me – she is giving tips to NaLyssa Smith and NaLyssa Smith appreciates it,” the TikTok user said in the video.

The X post garnered over hundreds of thousands of views in no time. Smith also came across the video and displayed her admiration for the Aces star.

“realest in the game,” the Wings forward wrote on X, adding a heart emoji.

Just moments before, Paige Bueckers flexed her muscles as a hilarious reaction to her teammate blocking A’ja Wilson’s layup.

Rookie Bueckers finished the contest with the most points (10) among all Dallas starters, with Smith contributing eight points and three rebounds. Wilson displayed her dominance, recording 19 points, seven rebounds and three assists, leading Las Vegas to a 112-78 blowout win.

Paige Bueckers lauds A’ja Wilson before WNBA duel

A’ja Wilson has been dominating the league ever since Paige Bueckers was in high school. On Thursday, as the latter was gearing up for her first-ever WNBA preseason game, she opened up on the Las Vegas superstar.

“She’s a problem," Bueckers said. "One of the best players in the league, in the MVP race every single year, could win it every single year. Just so skilled, you can tell she has such a great work ethic. She gets better every single year she's been in the league."

Bueckers and Wilson are set to face off four times during the 2025 regular season, beginning with a matchup on Jun. 13 at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas.

Wilson has finished top 10 in MVP voting in each of the seven campaigns of her professional career, winning the award in 2020, 2022 and 2024. She averaged 22.3 points, 9.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 3.6 ‘stocks’ (steals + blocks) in the three campaigns.

However, it's Caitlin Clark—not A’ja Wilson—who is the frontrunner for the 2025 MVP award, according to oddsmakers.