A’ja Wilson’s status throws major wrench into Aces-Liberty Commissioner’s Cup final originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The WNBA’s biggest regular-season showcase suddenly has a major question mark hanging over it. Just one day before the 2026 Commissioner’s Cup championship, Las Vegas Aces superstar A’ja Wilson has been listed as questionable with a right leg injury after rolling her ankle late in Sunday’s win over the Chicago Sky. The timing couldn’t be much worse for the defending WNBA champions, who are set to face the New York Liberty on Tuesday night in Brooklyn.
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The matchup was already billed as a clash between two of the league’s premier franchises, with MVP candidates, championship pedigree and a $500,000 prize pool on the line. Now, the spotlight has shifted to whether the WNBA’s most dominant player will even be available.
A’ja Wilson’s injury clouds Las Vegas‘ title hopes
Wilson suffered the injury during the fourth quarter of Las Vegas’ 107-99 victory over the Sky. After rolling her ankle, she briefly headed to the locker room before returning to finish the game. Even while dealing with the injury, Wilson delivered another signature performance, finishing with 30 points and 15 rebounds. It marked the eighth 30-point, 15-rebound game of her career, extending her own WNBA record.
Speaking after the game, Wilson sounded optimistic.
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“It’s all right,” Wilson said during the postgame broadcast. “It’s an ankle, so it’s going to snap back. But I should be good after some nice treatment.”
The Aces are clearly hoping that’s the case. Wilson has been one of the league’s most durable stars, missing just six games over the past seven seasons. Through 19 games this year, the four-time MVP is once again putting together an extraordinary campaign, averaging 25.7 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 2.0 blocks and 1.6 steals while helping Las Vegas to a 14-5 record.
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Liberty will also be missing a key contributor
New York won’t be at full strength either. The Liberty ruled forward Satou Sabally out of Tuesday’s game as she continues progressing through the WNBA’s concussion protocol. Sabally suffered the injury after taking an accidental elbow during last week’s meeting against the Aces in Las Vegas.
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She will miss her third straight game. In her first season with New York, Sabally has averaged 10.4 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.9 assists while providing valuable depth and versatility in the Liberty rotation.
A championship-caliber showdown remains on tap
Even with the injury concerns, Tuesday’s Commissioner’s Cup final still features two of the WNBA’s marquee franchises. The Aces have captured three of the past four WNBA championships, including last season’s title, while the Liberty are looking to add another trophy after winning the franchise’s first championship in 2024.
Las Vegas enters the game second in the league standings at 14-5, while New York sits fifth at 12-8 after dropping four of its last five contests. If Wilson is cleared to play, fans could still get the highly anticipated showdown featuring Wilson against Breanna Stewart, along with stars Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young and Sabrina Ionescu. If she can’t go, however, the balance of one of the WNBA’s biggest games of the regular season could change dramatically.
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The 2026 WNBA Commissioner’s Cup championship tips off Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET in Brooklyn and will be streamed on Amazon Prime Video.
