Latest news with #A'ja
Cosmopolitan
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Cosmopolitan
Time to Scroll Through A'ja Wilson and Bam Adebayo's Full Relationship Timeline
If you're wondering what happens when two Olympic-level basketball players shoot their shot with each other, look no further than A'ja Wilson and Bam Adebayo's sweet relationship. The Las Vegas Aces and Miami Heat stars first sparked dating rumors in 2024, but seemingly confirmed their romance in February 2025. The pair keeps things relatively low-key and off social media, for the most part. That being said, we totally get if you can't get enough of these two on and off the court. Let's dive into what we know about A'ja Wilson and Bam Adebayo's relationship timeline, shall we? The duo have been friends for years, and have openly supported each other during their games. Along with Derek White and LeBron James, Bam supported A'ja courtside during the Women's Basketball Gold Medal match between Team France and Team USA at the Paris Olympics. Bam and other local members of the Miami Heat received a key to the city for their excellence at the Paris Olympics in a special ceremony hosted by the mayor, where A'ja was in attendance. Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava even cheekily made side-eyes at the pair, who hadn't publicly confirmed their relationship at the time. 'A'ja Wilson, she won gold in women's basketball,' Cava said, per CBS News. 'I guess that has something to do with Bam and the Heat being here today.' Bam even made a comment on the ceremony later that day on social media, writing, 'Getting the 🔑 today was smooth. How's y'all Wednesday going ? 🙂' Bam (not so subtly) showed support for A'ja on social media after she broke the WNBA's single-season scoring record, writing 'U'nanimous' with an apostrophe, like her first name. Translation for my non-sports people out there: he cheekily pointed to the Aces star as a unanimous selection for WNBA's MVP that season. Moving along! Bam back at it again with the cryptic spelling. We see you. The pair was spotted out on a dinner date in L.A., per pics obtained by TMZ. Bam rocked a pair of the A'One sneakers from A'ja's collection with Nike during a game against the Brooklyn Nets. Bam sat courtside during A'ja's No. 22 jersey retirement ceremony with the South Carolina Gamecocks. She also gave him a sweet shoutout during her speech, saying, 'I wouldn't be who I am today without the love, support and sacrifices of so many people. What a blessing to have those most special to me courtside today, especially my favorite Olympian from out of town.' A'ja commented on Bam wearing her A'One sneakers during a Miami Heat game in January during an interview with People, saying, 'It was super dope. It was a moment.' She shared that he 'really wanted to be at the forefront of pushing my shoes.' 'If I have to put it out in the NBA, why not have someone like Bam Adebayo, who's just a good person all around, to kind of showcase my shoes, so I was thankful he was able to wear it,' she gushed. The Aces star also subtly confirmed her romance with Bam during Chase Freedom's Cashback Courts at NBA All-Star Weekend in San Francisco. When asked about her Valentine's Day plans, she told People, 'My plans are here at NBA All-Star. My NBA All-Star is not here.' She shared that though they didn't get to spend the holiday together, Bam was 'getting the rest he needs' during the All-Star break. 'And that's the best Valentine gift that I can truly give him, is just the rest,' she added. A'ja gave rare insight into her relationship with Bam during her Cosmo Sports cover interview, referring to him as a 'safe place' for her. 'I have an amazing boyfriend who really is my safe space. He's truly a gift. He's obviously in the same field, so we bounce off different things with one another to where it's like, no, we're not alone. He's helped me through a lot and welcomed me to be who I'm going to be. I know he's like, 'I don't know what A'ja I'm going to get today, but I'm blessed to be beside her.'' She added, 'And it's the same for me. When you can be your true self in front of someone, in front of your partner, that's the purest form of love. At any point if I ever need a voice to hear or just a hug, he's always there.' When asked if she'd ever hard launch their relationship, A'ja responded, 'I don't see a hard launch in our future, honestly. I know people are always like, 'Please!!' but I think we're really at peace with where we are, and I'm so happy with where we are.' That's all on these two for now! We'll be sure to dribble more deets over here as they come.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Caitlin Clark's Boyfriend's Strong Message Against WNBA Referees Catches Attention
Caitlin Clark has already scored 16 points in just 18 minutes of the first half against the Atlanta Dream on Tuesday. She's on a triple-double watch, with five rebounds and seven assists already to her credit. But in that first half, what frustrated most fans was the WNBA's officiating. They kept blowing their whistles and stopping play several times. Advertisement Compounding the issue, the Fever exhausted their challenge early in the game due to a contentious foul call on forward Aliyah Boston. Although the challenge was successful and the foul was reassigned to guard Lexie Hull. Caitlin Clark's boyfriend, Connor McCaffery, called out the officiating. He posted, "Good to see the W refs in midseason form" on X, drawing the attention of many fans. Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) yells in excitement.© Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images "So right! Training for that A'ja whistle! 😂😂" A fan joked. "Go off Connor. These WNBA refs are horrible!" Another frustrated fan joined in. "The quality of refs in this professional league is truly gross" A fan expressed. Advertisement "They're always terrible, but this may be the worst crew I've seen." Another posted. "They are seriously pathetic. You shouldn't have to use both challenges just for them to get the calls right. 🤦🏻♀️" A fan frustatingly typed. "It's next level bad. I thought we had moved on from this clown show." Another claimed. The Atlanta Dream led the matchup 57–49 with six minutes remaining in the third quarter. Brittney Griner has already tallied 14 points, and Brionna Jones has contributed 11, nailing the team's lead. However, the top performer is Rhyne Howard, who has scored 18 points.
NBC Sports
13-05-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson is fueled by the Aces falling short last season
HENDERSON, Nev. — A'ja Wilson went into last season trying to prove she was indeed the WNBA's best player even if MVP voters thought otherwise in 2023. She then went out and put together one of the best performances in league history. The problem is her teammates didn't all come along, and the two-time defending champion Aces never quite found their game and eventually were eliminated by eventual winner New York in the semifinals. As satisfying as last season was individually for Wilson, failing to meet Las Vegas' high standards as a team sticks with her. And that same drive that fueled her last season remains. 'I want to be the best,' Wilson said. 'Normally, you're classified the best when you win games and you win championships, so that was my whole mentality coming into this offseason. It was a long offseason. It was a long, dull offseason because we lost. Sometimes you need that 'L' to wake you up.' The offseason, however, wasn't a complete disappointment. Her A'One signature Nike shoe was released earlier this month and became a big seller. 'I am overwhelmed a little bit because it means a lot to me,' Wilson said. 'The love, the joy, the positivity behind it, seeing so many people want to buy it, it definitely has my heart full. So I'm grateful. I'm so excited to see what's more to come.' That includes what to come with the Aces this season. Wilson and the Aces return with most of the core intact but with some notable changes. Las Vegas helped orchestrate a three-team trade in January that sent Kelsey Plum to Los Angeles and landed Jewell Loyd from Seattle. The Aces also have what is essentially a new player in Liz Kitley, a post player who was drafted 24th a year ago but didn't play because of a torn ACL. Plus, returning All-Star guards Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young should be healthy after playing through injuries last season. 'Me being healthy is a game changer, just getting everybody organized and being a leader and knowing the flows and ins and outs of the game,' Gray said. 'A'ja, I think it only helps her as well. We can get into some actions and stuff. It's hard when you look at it defensively. You have A'ja and you want to come double, who do you come off of? Who do you rotate to?' That was part of why the Aces had their dominant two-year stretch. They could make opponents pay for placing too much attention on Wilson in the frontcourt, and she could take advantage when defenses backed off her to try to take away Las Vegas' perimeter shooting. It almost didn't matter what kind of defense Wilson faced last season. She was on a mission from the beginning and averaged 26.9 points and 11.8 rebounds, joining the Houston Comets' Cynthia Cooper in 1997 as the league's only unanimous choices for MVP. 'She put together the single most greatest individual season in WNBA history,' Aces coach Becky Hammon said. 'Not only was it historical numbers-wise in the W, it would be the same in the NBA. It was just unprecedented. 'However, she was very upset with not winning a championship. So, to her, that was like, 'How do I get more out of my teammates?' We talked about it. We've got to get greatness out of everybody else. One person being great isn't enough, and she recognizes that.' A long, dull offseason. Wilson doesn't want to experience another one of those again, but she also knows the competition is fierce. Defending champion New York and Breanna Stewart figure to be in the conversation again, Caitlin Clark-led Indiana upgraded in the offseason and became one of the favorites, and Minnesota and Napheesa Collier came oh-so-close after losing in overtime to the Liberty in Game 5 of the finals. But Wilson senses a different vibe in the Aces' locker room compared with last year at this time, one that more closely resembles the team that won it all in 2022 and 2023. 'It kind of sucks when the mindset (with other players) wasn't where it is,' Wilson said. 'But it's also human nature. When you come in after winning back to back, you have this feeling of, 'What else do we have to do?' We've already executed and done more than people may have expected us to do. 'I think this year we've come in with a different mindset, understanding how hard it is to get there.'
13-05-2025
- Sport
WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson is fueled by the Aces falling short last season
HENDERSON, Nev. -- A'ja Wilson went into last season trying to prove she was indeed the WNBA's best player even if MVP voters thought otherwise in 2023. She then went out and put together one of the best performances in league history. The problem is her teammates didn't all come along, and the two-time defending champion Aces never quite found their game and eventually were eliminated by eventual winner New York in the semifinals. As satisfying as last season was individually for Wilson, failing to meet Las Vegas' high standards as a team sticks with her. And that same drive that fueled her last season remains. 'I want to be the best,' Wilson said. 'Normally, you're classified the best when you win games and you win championships, so that was my whole mentality coming into this offseason. It was a long offseason. It was a long, dull offseason because we lost. Sometimes you need that 'L' to wake you up." The offseason, however, wasn't a complete disappointment. Her A'One signature Nike shoe was released earlier this month and became a big seller. 'I am overwhelmed a little bit because it means a lot to me,' Wilson said. 'The love, the joy, the positivity behind it, seeing so many people want to buy it, it definitely has my heart full. So I'm grateful. I'm so excited to see what's more to come.' That includes what to come with the Aces this season. Wilson and the Aces return with most of the core intact but with some notable changes. Las Vegas helped orchestrate a three-team trade in January that sent Kelsey Plum to Los Angeles and landed Jewell Loyd from Seattle. The Aces also have what is essentially a new player in Liz Kitley, a post player who was drafted 24th a year ago but didn't play because of a torn ACL. Plus, returning All-Star guards Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young should be healthy after playing through injuries last season. 'Me being healthy is a game changer, just getting everybody organized and being a leader and knowing the flows and ins and outs of the game,' Gray said. 'A'ja, I think it only helps her as well. We can get into some actions and stuff. It's hard when you look at it defensively. You have A'ja and you want to come double, who do you come off of? Who do you rotate to?' That was part of why the Aces had their dominant two-year stretch. They could make opponents pay for placing too much attention on Wilson in the frontcourt, and she could take advantage when defenses backed off her to try to take away Las Vegas' perimeter shooting. It almost didn't matter what kind of defense Wilson faced last season. She was on a mission from the beginning and averaged 26.9 points and 11.8 rebounds, joining the Houston Comets' Cynthia Cooper in 1997 as the league's only unanimous choices for MVP. 'She put together the single most greatest individual season in WNBA history,' Aces coach Becky Hammon said. "Not only was it historical numbers-wise in the W, it would be the same in the NBA. It was just unprecedented. 'However, she was very upset with not winning a championship. So, to her, that was like, 'How do I get more out of my teammates?' We talked about it. We've got to get greatness out of everybody else. One person being great isn't enough, and she recognizes that.' A long, dull offseason. Wilson doesn't want to experience another one of those again, but she also knows the competition is fierce. Defending champion New York and Breanna Stewart figure to be in the conversation again, Caitlin Clark-led Indiana upgraded in the offseason and became one of the favorites, and Minnesota and Napheesa Collier came oh-so-close after losing in overtime to the Liberty in Game 5 of the finals. But Wilson senses a different vibe in the Aces' locker room compared with last year at this time, one that more closely resembles the team that won it all in 2022 and 2023. 'It kind of sucks when the mindset (with other players) wasn't where it is,' Wilson said. "But it's also human nature. When you come in after winning back to back, you have this feeling of, 'What else do we have to do?' We've already executed and done more than people may have expected us to do. 'I think this year we've come in with a different mindset, understanding how hard it is to get there.'
Fox Sports
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson is fueled by the Aces falling short last season
Associated Press HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — A'ja Wilson went into last season trying to prove she was indeed the WNBA's best player even if MVP voters thought otherwise in 2023. She then went out and put together one of the best performances in league history. The problem is her teammates didn't all come along, and the two-time defending champion Aces never quite found their game and eventually were eliminated by eventual winner New York in the semifinals. As satisfying as last season was individually for Wilson, failing to meet Las Vegas' high standards as a team sticks with her. And that same drive that fueled her last season remains. 'I want to be the best,' Wilson said. 'Normally, you're classified the best when you win games and you win championships, so that was my whole mentality coming into this offseason. It was a long offseason. It was a long, dull offseason because we lost. Sometimes you need that 'L' to wake you up." The offseason, however, wasn't a complete disappointment. Her A'One signature Nike shoe was released earlier this month and became a big seller. 'I am overwhelmed a little bit because it means a lot to me,' Wilson said. 'The love, the joy, the positivity behind it, seeing so many people want to buy it, it definitely has my heart full. So I'm grateful. I'm so excited to see what's more to come.' That includes what to come with the Aces this season. Wilson and the Aces return with most of the core intact but with some notable changes. Las Vegas helped orchestrate a three-team trade in January that sent Kelsey Plum to Los Angeles and landed Jewell Loyd from Seattle. The Aces also have what is essentially a new player in Liz Kitley, a post player who was drafted 24th a year ago but didn't play because of a torn ACL. Plus, returning All-Star guards Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young should be healthy after playing through injuries last season. 'Me being healthy is a game changer, just getting everybody organized and being a leader and knowing the flows and ins and outs of the game,' Gray said. 'A'ja, I think it only helps her as well. We can get into some actions and stuff. It's hard when you look at it defensively. You have A'ja and you want to come double, who do you come off of? Who do you rotate to?' That was part of why the Aces had their dominant two-year stretch. They could make opponents pay for placing too much attention on Wilson in the frontcourt, and she could take advantage when defenses backed off her to try to take away Las Vegas' perimeter shooting. It almost didn't matter what kind of defense Wilson faced last season. She was on a mission from the beginning and averaged 26.9 points and 11.8 rebounds, joining the Houston Comets' Cynthia Cooper in 1997 as the league's only unanimous choices for MVP. 'She put together the single most greatest individual season in WNBA history,' Aces coach Becky Hammon said. "Not only was it historical numbers-wise in the W, it would be the same in the NBA. It was just unprecedented. 'However, she was very upset with not winning a championship. So, to her, that was like, 'How do I get more out of my teammates?' We talked about it. We've got to get greatness out of everybody else. One person being great isn't enough, and she recognizes that.' A long, dull offseason. Wilson doesn't want to experience another one of those again, but she also knows the competition is fierce. Defending champion New York and Breanna Stewart figure to be in the conversation again, Caitlin Clark-led Indiana upgraded in the offseason and became one of the favorites, and Minnesota and Napheesa Collier came oh-so-close after losing in overtime to the Liberty in Game 5 of the finals. But Wilson senses a different vibe in the Aces' locker room compared with last year at this time, one that more closely resembles the team that won it all in 2022 and 2023. 'It kind of sucks when the mindset (with other players) wasn't where it is,' Wilson said. "But it's also human nature. When you come in after winning back to back, you have this feeling of, 'What else do we have to do?' We've already executed and done more than people may have expected us to do. 'I think this year we've come in with a different mindset, understanding how hard it is to get there.' ___ AP WNBA:
