"Victim mentality running wild": Fans blast A'ja Wilson's "counted us out" comment after beating Caitlin Clark-less Fever

A'ja Wilson and the Las Vegas Aces returned to the WNBA Finals after holding on to beat the Indiana Fever 107-98 on Tuesday. Against the Caitlin Clark-less Fever, who also missed key contributors to season-ending injuries, the Aces needed five games to advance. After the game, Wilson said that they won despite being “counted out.”

Fans reacted to Wilson’s claims:

“The victim mentality running wild after so many years with the special whistle.

One fan said:

Another fan added:

One more fan continued:

Another fan reacted:

A'ja Wilson’s comments were not received well, even by some Aces fans. Wilson and Co. were the heavy favorites entering the semis. The No. 2-seeded Aces had the healthier roster and had the back-to-back MVP, Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young and Jewell Loyd. Playoff experience was decisively in Las Vegas’ favor after the team made the second round for the seventh straight year.

The bookies also disagreed with Wilson. From Games 1 to 5, the Fever were counted as underdogs, even when they played at home in Indiana. Las Vegas had the second-best odds of winning the championship and held home-court advantage in the playoffs unless it played the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx.

A'ja Wilson claimed they were counted out, but the oddsmakers continue to favor them even in the WNBA Finals. Every sports betting site considers them the slight favorites to emerge as winners, particularly in a longer series.

A'ja Wilson and Aces are series and Game 1 favorites against Phoenix Mercury

DraftKings gave A'ja Wilson’s Las Vegas Aces a -135 odds to win the 2025 WNBA Finals. The sports betting side considered the Phoenix Mercury +115 underdogs in the series.

Wilson’s Aces, who she claimed were counted out by everybody, are -4.5 favorites to draw first blood in the series opener on Friday. The odds were not surprising after the Aces won three of four meetings in the regular season and will host Game 1.

The Aces won 16 straight games in the regular season before going 2-1 against the Seattle Storm in the first round. Despite being the decisive favorites against the No. 6 Indiana Fever, they barely moved on to the WNBA Finals. Still, oddsmakers are giving them a better chance of winning the championship.

About the author

Michael Macasero brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his coverage of basketball at Sportskeeda with over 18 years of diverse work experience. This includes stints at Convergys, Interpace and RunRepeat.

Michael's background in English and Journalism has provided him with the analytical skills and precision necessary for creating content, and he is a lifelong fan of the Boston Celtics. His favorite players include legends like Larry Bird and Michael Jordan, modern stars like Tim Duncan, and Nikola Jokic, as well as emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Michael respects Gregg Popovich, despite his contentious demeanor in interviews, and recognizes Popovich's genius in adapting his coaching style to maximize the talent on his roster over the years. Michael eagerly anticipates seeing how Popovich will structure the offense around emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Understanding the story and details is crucial to Michael's reporting philosophy and he believes overlooking details, particularly when pressed for time, can lead to misunderstandings and inaccurate conclusions.

Aside from work, Michael's children are his hobbies, and he also likes to go running, swimming and weightlifting.

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Edited by Michael Macasero