Not for the first time, A’ja Wilson has made more history – and behind her Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese are expected to battle it out again.

Las Vegas Aces forward Wilson, the two-time WNBA MVP and Olympic gold medal winner, was this week named alongside Jayson Tatum as one of two cover athletes on the NBA 2K25 All Star Edition.

Fans are already speculating on whether Clark or Reese will follow Wilson’s lead next year continuing a rivalry which has elevated the women’s game across college and professional ranks.

Four editions of NBA 2K25 will be released in September and Wilson, a WNBA champion with the Aces last year, will also feature on the GameStop exclusive WNBA Edition of the game.

It is the first time a WNBA player features on a non-WNBA edition after Candace Parker, Sabrina Ionescu, Sue Bird and Diana Taurisi have all graced the WNBA cover.

The news delighted Wilson’s college coach Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks.

“Do it do it do it,” Staley posted on X, formerly Twitter.

“Super proud of you for raising the bar on and off the court! A true blessing to see your uncommon favor displayed.”

Tatum, recently-crowned an NBA champion with Boston Celtics, and Hall of Famer Vince Carter will also feature across the various covers, but it is the arrival of Wilson that cements the exploding popularity of women’s basketball.

Wilson starred as the Aces won their second successive WNBA championship last year, and they are aiming to become the first team since the Houston Comets to win three successive titles.

Wilson stands on her own proudly lifting the WNBA championship trophy the special women’s edition

“Being featured on the NBA 2K25 cover is a big moment for me and a testament to the ever-growing fandom of the WNBA,” Wilson said in a press release.

The 27-year-old became the Aces all-time leading scorer earlier this year and leads the league in scoring so far in 2024 , with her team fourth in the standings as they aim to make the playoffs.

Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark endures an awkward exchange with a local reporter
“Seeing more and more WNBA athletes scanned into NBA 2K25 to best capture the style and confidence of the league has been empowering, and I can’t wait for fans to experience it in-game.”

This year’s rookie class have taken the competition to the next level.

Clark and Reese established a fierce rivalry in college as Clark’s Iowa and Reese’s LSU met in each of the last two NCAA tournaments.

The speculation is now which of them may make next season’s front cover – although Tatum and Wilson were champions and a win for either Reese or Clark would be seismic.

It had been suggested that either player could make this year’s front cover, but Wilson has deservedly received the honor – and now the race for 2025 is already underway.

Iowa were victorious in the Final Four earlier this year, while in 2023 it was Reese’s Tigers who came up big in Championship game, prompted Reese’s memorable celebrations – and they have continued to duke it out in the pro ranks.

Clark was picked by the Indiana Fever with the first overall pick in April and Reese was selected seventh by the Chicago Sky, and the pair have starred during their first seasons in the WNBA.

Reese recently overtook Clark in ESPN’s rookie rankings and leads the league in rebounds, while Clark has the edge in points per game.

Like Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, the pair seem destined to have their careers judged against each other.

Although the impact that both have had on the league has been laid bare by transformative attendance and viewing figures.

Clark recorded the WNBA’s first rookie triple double last weekend as Fever beat the top seeded New York Liberty with a CBS viewing audience of 1.87m, an increase of 215 per cent on the same point last season, per Front Office Sports.

After Reese and Clark helped the NCAA to a record breaking season, the pair are playing their part again having stepped up a level.

The WBNA is averaging more than 1.3m viewers across the season, while last season was the most watched season in 21 years.

Attendance figures across the league are up and remarkably when Clark plays crowds more than double, with many teams switching their games to bigger arenas to accommodate the demand.