A’ja Wilson was bringing full game-time energy before the Las Vegas Aces even reached the court, but one unexpected collision quickly changed the mood of their entrance.
Video
The A’ja Wilson tunnel collision started making the rounds on social media after video showed the Aces star sprinting toward the court at the Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix. Wilson appeared to be leading her teammates through the curtain when she unexpectedly ran into a woman who appeared to be working inside the arena.The woman went down following the accidental collision, immediately getting Wilson’s attention.
Instead of continuing onto the floor, Wilson stopped and turned back to check on her. Several of her Aces teammates also paused as the unexpected moment unfolded. Fortunately, the woman was able to get back to her feet without assistance, and Wilson and the rest of the team continued their entrance.
It was a chaotic few seconds before what became a much better night for Las Vegas.
Once the basketball started, the Aces handled business against the Phoenix Mercury. Las Vegas earned a 100-82 victory Thursday, September 24, giving the team another important result as the postseason picture came into focus.
The win secured the No. 3 seed for Las Vegas.
For Wilson, the postseason carries another opportunity to add to an already decorated WNBA résumé. She has won four league MVP awards and two WNBA Finals MVP awards, while helping establish the Aces as one of the league’s championship teams.
Now, Las Vegas is chasing another title.
The Aces are scheduled to face the Indiana Fever on Sunday, September 27. The winner of that matchup will move forward to face either the Dallas Wings or Golden State Valkyries.
That puts Las Vegas in a position where every game carries considerably more weight than the viral clip circulating before Thursday’s contest.
Other teams reaching the opening playoff round include the Atlanta Dream, Minnesota Lynx and New York Liberty, setting the stage for a postseason featuring several of the WNBA’s biggest names and teams.
Still, Wilson’s pregame collision provided one of those unscripted sports moments that social media tends to grab before the game itself has even started.
The video was especially striking because of how quickly the energy changed. One second, Wilson was sprinting onto the floor with her teammates behind her. The next, she was stopped and looking back after realizing someone had been knocked over.
There was no elaborate celebration or attempt to play the moment off. Wilson checked on the woman; the woman got back up, and everyone eventually continued toward the court.
Then came the actual game.
Las Vegas’ 18-point victory ensured that the tunnel mishap would remain a strange pregame footnote rather than the defining moment of the night. The Aces walked away with the No. 3 seed secured and their postseason path officially taking shape.
Wilson also enters that postseason with expectations that naturally follow a player with her résumé. Four MVP awards and multiple championships have made her central to the Aces’ sustained success, and another playoff run gives Las Vegas an opportunity to build on that history.
First, however, the Aces have to get through Indiana.
That matchup shifts the attention back where Las Vegas wants it: basketball. The viral tunnel video may have captured plenty of eyeballs online, but the 100-82 final score carried significantly more importance for the team.
And after an entrance that briefly went very wrong, Wilson and the Aces still managed to make sure the night ended exactly where they wanted it.
