Aces Star A'ja Wilson Says She Learned to Ignore the Internet Trolls: 'Let Me Focus on My Fanbase'

The MVP tells PEOPLE how she's ditched "the naysayers" and shifted her focus to winning another WNBA championship

A'ja Wilson #22 of the Las Vegas Aces poses for a portrait during 2021 WNBA Media Day at the Michelob Ultra Arena on May 2, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Photo: Jeff Bottari/NBAE via Getty

WNBA champion A'ja Wilson has figured out how to protect her peace as a woman athlete.

While discussing her March Madness ad with AT&T, the 26-year-old Las Vegas Aces star admits that building equity for women's sports can feel like a burden, even if it's one she's willing to endure.

"Sometimes I find myself not even giving the energy that I can because it is that exhausting," Wilson tells PEOPLE over the phone.

The WNBA's defensive player of the year explains that while she's proud to be a leader in many ways in the building of equity in women's sports, it's no secret that female athletes are met with more hostility from online bullies.

As she continues to shine as a role model for aspiring athletes, Wilson has developed ways to disengage with the negativity online and elsewhere.

"I think that's the biggest thing I've learned, to not focus on the naysayers," says Wilson.

A'ja Wilson #22 of the Las Vegas Aces looks on against the New York Liberty at Barclays Center on July 14, 2022 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. The Las Vegas Aces defeated the New York Liberty 108-74.
Mitchell Leff/Getty

Instead, she's focusing on "the people are for us, the ones building with us," she says, poking fun that most of the aforementioned naysayers are likely just trolls. "I'm not focusing on this young man who's probably in the basement, eating tacos in his mama's house, typing 'Go get in the kitchen.' "

Wilson admits she used to let comments like those get to her, but "it was super exhausting."

Now, the WNBA MVP says, "Once I got past that, I'm like, let me focus on my fanbase that is following me, focus on who I am and what I believe in and with growing that, I definitely became more aware and not as exhausted."

Wilson and the Las Vegas Aces will kick off their 2023 season on the road when they take on the Seattle Storm on May 20.

The WNBA's defending champions will get their rings during one of the team's home games this season and Wilson says she's excited to "relive" the win again. "It's definitely dope to look back and have the fans look back and say, 'Wow, we really won,'" she says.

This season, the Aces definitely "know we have another huge target" on their backs, says Wilson. The team signed former Chicago Sky star Candace Parker during the league's offseason, making them arguably the best roster in the WNBA.

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"Aces fans are going to get a high level of basketball every single night," Wilson promises. "I think we have put a combination together that is very, very, very good. And a part of being underneath the coaching system like Becky, it's something that's truly special."

Another crucial element to the Aces success? The fans, Wilson says. "The fan base has been dialed into us through and through and that's what it's going to take to help us bring another one."

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