Entertainment Sports 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 By Natasha Dye Natasha Dye Natasha Dye is a writer-reporter for PEOPLE covering sports. Her previous work appears in The New York Post and Popstar! Magazine. People Editorial Guidelines Published on March 29, 2023 04:46PM EDT 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. Kelsey Plum Explains the 'Huge Misconception' About the WNBA's Fight for Better Pay 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. 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." A'ja Wilson Wins WNBA Defensive Player Award, Says Players Will Become 'Household Names' 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. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. "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."