In naming his podcast's athlete and person of the year for 2025, Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Anthony "doubled up" on Las Vegas Aces superstar A'ja Wilson, who won her fourth WNBA MVP award and her third WNBA championship in a stellar calendar year.
Anthony explained that his eight-year-old daughter, Genesis, idolizes Wilson -- who is arguably the best player in WNBA history at only 29 years old.
"Her voice is powerful, it's impactful," Anthony said on the 7PM in Brooklyn podcast. "My daughter looks up to A'ja Wilson. She stamped her flag."
Melo: “My daughter looks up to A’ja Wilson … she’s the face of women’s sports.”
— 7PM in Brooklyn (@7PMinBrooklyn) December 22, 2025
After ANOTHER WNBA championship and MVP, it’s ONLY right that A’ja Wilson takes home the 7PM Athlete of the Year 🫡 pic.twitter.com/YMkALvITpb
Wilson's marketability conveyed itself in the introduction of her Nike signature shoe, the A'One, back in May; it sold out on Nike's website within minutes. She has been able to use her platform as a public figure to speak out on behalf of her fellow players, and a book about her upbringing in South Carolina, "Dear Black Girls," became a New York Times bestseller in 2024.
MORE: A'ja Wilson is AllSportsPeople 2025 Female Athlete of the Year
Anthony argued that Wilson has had a LeBron James-esque impact not only on the WNBA, but on women's sports as a whole. He is impressed with her comfort at using her voice and her experiences -- not to mention her talent -- to transform The W as it enters a new era.
"LeBron James comprehends being in that role," Anthony said. "A'ja has that type of impact when it comes to the women's game, and being the face of women's sports. For so long, we had Serena (Williams). Now we have A'ja."
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