From the opening tip, it was obvious the Las Vegas Aces and Chicago Sky would give us an incredible show on Sunday afternoon.
And after A’ja Wilson’s emotional halftime interview, the stage was set for Wilson and dynamic Chicago guard Chennedy Carter to put an epic bow on the proceedings.
Let’s take it to the fourth quarter.
The Aces had just built up what probably should’ve been an insurmountable 73-60 lead with less than five minutes to play. But Chicago and Angel Reese — who notched her third-straight game with at least 20 rebounds — just wouldn’t quit. The Sky stormed back, putting themselves in position to tie the game on their final possession.
The ball was in Chennedy Carter’s hands, and she nailed an ice-cold three-pointer to knot things up at 75 points apiece:
TIE GAME!!
Chennedy Carter CLUTCH. pic.twitter.com/cFDZtD5LVd
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) August 25, 2024
But the Aces weren’t done.
With Las Vegas on the verge of an epic fourth-quarter collapse, it turned to its MVP, Wilson, with just over a second remaining. She didn’t disappoint, hitting a bonkers buzzer-beater at the rim for the win:
A'JA WILSON WALKS IT OFF FOR THE ACES! pic.twitter.com/6UTbMkFVkv
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) August 25, 2024
Wilson was appropriately over the moon over her heroic moment after the game:
The Basketball Gods said “here.. DAMN!” 😩 https://t.co/5Xdry5ybmb
— A'ja Wilson (@_ajawilson22) August 25, 2024
In a WNBA season that has already provided so many classic moments and tense finishes, this might have been the very best. More importantly, it might have been a glimpse at the present (Wilson and the Aces) taking a decent punch on the chin from the future (Carter, Reese, and the Sky).
Here’s how some basketball figures reacted to Wilson’s game-winner on Twitter
GAME BLOUSES!!!!! @_ajawilson22 😤💪🏾🫡
— LeBron James (@KingJames) August 25, 2024
SPRINTING not walking to buy a pack from the store rn!! https://t.co/DzR9CpBOPm
— Aaliyah Edwards (@AaliyahEdwards_) August 25, 2024
FAAFO @_ajawilson22
— dawnstaley (@dawnstaley) August 25, 2024
