Who would you put on the Mount Rushmore of Las Vegas sports?

It can be a fun debate, one of those good-natured arguments between dedicated fans—and especially interesting to consider today, now that our city has multiple major league professional teams.

Andre Agassi has to be up there, right? And Greg Maddux. Are we including coaches? Because Tark feels like a necessity.

In 2022, The Sporting News compiled a bunch of Mount Rushmores, building a panel to select four standouts from 13 different cities. Chicago, for example, boasts Michael Jordan, Walter Payton, Ernie Banks and Bobby Hull—solid selections for a city with a rich sports history.

Las Vegas was not one of those 13 cities. But that’s fine, because we’ve only had these pro teams since 2017. Maybe we need to build two Mount Rushmores, one for our pre-pro era and one for the rich history Vegas is building today.

It will be a fun debate for the future, but there’s already a clear and singular choice for the first inclusion—A’ja Wilson is the one true sports hero of the current Vegas era.

The foundation of the Las Vegas Aces franchise since she was chosen with the No. 1 pick in the 2018 WNBA Draft—the same year the team began playing at Mandalay Bay after moving from San Antonio—Wilson has notched a Hall of Fame-caliber career in just six seasons. While leading the Aces to back-to-back championships, she’s tallied two league MVP trophies, two Defensive Player of the Year awards, Finals MVP honors in 2023, five WNBA All-Star appearances and a 2022 Olympic gold medal. Her pro career numbers: 19.9 points per game, 8.7 rebounds per game, 49.1% shooting.

But her performance on the court is just part of the story. Wilson is not just one of the league’s brightest stars; she’s evolved into one of the most prominent faces of women’s athletics around the world.

She established the A’ja Wilson Foundation with her parents very early in her pro career, a resource for children and their families who struggle with dyslexia. She has spoken and written openly about her own dyslexia journey and mental health issues, and this past February released the instant New York Times best seller Dear Black Girls, an inspiring memoir that has been called a must-read for teenagers and young adults.

Wilson is down-to-earth yet unapologetic, passionate about her mission and capable of great vulnerability at the same time, and that’s why she’s so easy to connect with. Her personality is magnetic, attracting big-time endorsements along with new fans and followers. She’s a young leader that people can identify with, and that’s why she was chosen as one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2024. Has any other Las Vegas athlete achieved that recognition?

“A’ja Wilson is not just a champion; she is a symbol of resilience, compassion, and unwavering dedication,” wrote another icon, Tom Brady, in Time. “Her story is a reminder that with passion and fearlessness, anyone can achieve greatness.

“I know she has so much more she wants to achieve ... and I get to be in a front-row seat watching and admiring!” (Brady has an ownership stake in the Aces. Wonder why? The answer is A’ja.)

There will certainly be some Vegas Golden Knights (and maybe even a Raider) on this future Mount Rushmore, but only Wilson has achieved the complete dream of any local fan—team championships, elite individual accolades and the overall community impact of being the “franchise player.” Of course she hasn’t done it alone, and she’s quick to show her appreciation for players, coaches and supporters.

Perhaps most meaningful, Wilson is one of the most popular and visible players in the world when women’s basketball has never been more popular or visible. The WNBA has been surging since it celebrated its 25th season during the pandemic, and TV is finally coming around to the long-held belief that audience demand for women’s sports (especially basketball and soccer) has outpaced available programming.

The exhibition game between Iowa and DePaul in October at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City set a new NCAA women’s basketball attendance record of 55,646. In March, the Aces became the first team in WNBA history to sell out season ticket memberships. And the Aces are just one of the teams that has moved a game against Indiana, the pro squad that drafted Iowa’s superstar Caitlin Clark, to a larger arena to accommodate more fans. The Indiana Fever will have 36 of its 40 games on national television this season—the Aces will have 35— and the WNBA has expanded its broadcast options overall, including ESPN platforms carrying every playoff game.

Always advocating, Wilson has made the call for the media and the public to continue demonstrating this relatively new support for women’s sports—to prove we are worthy of the excellence that has been around for a long time.

“I hope that anyone [who is] invested and paying attention to it, continues to invest in it,” she said at the Time 100 Summit in April. “Buy that jersey. Go to that game. Take someone else. Put your money where your mouth is and invest in these women.”

Las Vegas is fully invested in A’ja Wilson, who will lead the Aces into another exciting season in a very special way. The team will play the Puerto Rican national team in an exhibition game on May 11 at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina.

Outside the arena, a statue of Wilson—a native of nearby Hopkins—was installed in 2021, honoring her stellar collegiate career and its 2017 national championship. It’s where it all started, and it’s where Wilson’s mentor and WNBA legend Dawn Staley just brought home a third NCAA title as South Carolina’s coach.

It’s another dream come true for this one-of-a-kind Las Vegas hero.

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