Is Aja Wilson having the best WNBA rookie season ever

Just over halfway through her first season in the WNBA, former South Carolina women's basketball star A'ja Wilson hasn't missed a step in her transition from college to the pros ' she's top five in the league in points and rebounds per game, top 10 in blocks and third in usage rate.

And that's among all 144 players, including legends such as Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner and Elena Delle Donne. Against her fellow rookies, Wilson is first in points, first in rebounds, first in blocks, second in assists, first in player impact estimate and first in usage rate.

All of that is to say, preseason projections of Wilson taking home the trophy for Rookie of the Year, following in the footsteps of best friend Allisha Gray, are looking pretty accurate, barring some late surge by another player or an injury to the former Gamecock.

So it's hardly surprising that national media outlets such as ESPN and The Athletic have started to ponder a bigger question: Is A'ja Wilson the best rookie the WNBA has seen in its 22 years of existence'

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Only one WNBA player has won Rookie of the Year and MVP honors in the same season ' Candace Parker in 2008. Just two have won Rookie of the Year and a league title in the same campaign ' Maya Moore in 2011 and Cheryl Ford in 2003.

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