WNBA FINALS: STORM VS. ACES

October 4, 2020

A'ja Wilson

Las Vegas Aces

Game 2: Postgame

Seattle Storm 104, Las Vegas Aces 91

Q. You guys have your backs against the wall again. What adjustments need to be made to come away with a victory in Game 3 and keep the series going?

A'JA WILSON: I think the biggest thing we need to adjust on is taking care of the basketball. I think if we cut back on our turnovers, we'll be right there. I think that's the biggest thing, and of course it's harder with the Seattle defense. But then at the same time it's a lot on us. I think there's a lot of things within our locker room that we need to just adjust and just communicate with one another. I think we're all just kind of assuming. But at the end of the day if we communicate and take care of the basketball, we're right there.

Q. Breanna Stewart had another good game today. What does your team need to do to make it harder for her?

A'JA WILSON: I mean, we're doing pretty much everything that we can. Maybe not let her get as many open looks as she wants, but I think we're just doing -- Stewie is a great player. She's going to find ways to score. That's the whole point of being one of the greatest to play it, and at the end of the day we're doing what we can do. She's just creating more shots in a way that she's being efficient for her team, and that's key. I don't think it's anything that we can switch up or throw at her. I think she's seen it all pretty much, but at the end of the day they're going to -- great players are going to have counters. They're going to do stuff. So if we're there and we can contest a shot, we're good.

Q. A player like Emma Cannon came out today and played a great game. How important is it for you and your teammates to come together to play a team like the storm?

A'JA WILSON: I mean, it's going to take all of us. It's going to take all of us. I've got to credit Emma for coming in and giving us great minutes. She's someone that probably barely even knows the plays, but she's always there and making sure she does her role, and that's someone that you're always going to need in your locker room, and she's someone that we picked up halfway through this thing, so at the end of the day when you have people that are playing their role and doing what they need to do from everybody, I think that's still key for us. I think that's kind of what makes us go, that's kind of what got us the No. 1 seed was everyone was doing their part. And I think we kind of get lost of course with everything in playoffs and everything going on and everybody wants to be it. But at the end of the day you've just got to stay within ourselves, and I think we're doing a so-so job of that, so I feel like if we increase that and we just continue to do our own role and just continue to communicate on the little things and take care of the basketball, we're right there.

Q. Obviously Bill [Laimbeer] talked a lot about the officiating, but did you like the aggressiveness of the team going to the basket today even though you didn't get some of the calls?

A'JA WILSON: Yeah, I love that. I'll take that any day. I can't talk about officiating. I ain't trying to get fined, none of that. But if we're in attack mode I think that's a great thing. That means that we're not shying away, we're not backing down. We're going to continue to do us, get to the free throw line as much as we can. Hey, they're going to call whatever they're going to call, but at the end of the day we've got to continue to do us and continue to attack. The main fact that we didn't let up at times, I think that's a good sign.

Q. One positive to talk about is you were named to the All-WNBA First Team. What are your thoughts on that?

A'JA WILSON: I'm blessed. I'm blessed to be there. I'm grateful. But at the end of the day that's good and all, but I'm here trying to compete for something bigger than that.

Q. A'ja, look a lot of the talk is the Seattle Storm are one game away from their fourth championship and kind of -- there's a big element of kind of counting out the Aces right now. What do you have to say to folks who are acting like the season is already over?

A'JA WILSON: I've got nothing to say. That's on them. They're not in our locker room. They're not around us at all, and that's on them, that I can't really change the narrative of any type, and if they want to believe, they want to believe it, but I know I'm not, I know my team is not, and that's really it. I don't care about all that. I'm off Twitter because it's toxic in every way. But at the end of the day I could care less about what people have to say. Win or lose, we're still us. I could care less. It just all comes from within. I think that's where people get lost. I don't want to say nothing else.

Q. How would you describe your journey from being a No. 1 pick to now being in your first WNBA Finals?

A'JA WILSON: I mean, I'm grateful. I'm grateful for the journey that I've had. I'm grateful for the franchise for even taking me in and trusting me to help build a fan base, to build just together with my teammates. It's a lot of fun. I enjoy being where I am right now. I enjoy that people can watch me on TV and be that entertainment for them and I can have fun while doing it. But at the same time this job isn't done. I'm still trying to compete at a high level. I still want people to continue to watch us play, so at the end of the day I'm going to try my best to put on not just for myself but for my community, the people around me and also for my franchise.