A’ja Wilson ‘flattens’ arena staffer before Aces game, shocking collision sparks stunned reactions from teammates and fans

WNBA star A’ja Wilson was involved in an awkward accident before the Las Vegas Aces faced the Phoenix Mercury on Thursday night, when she collided with an arena staff member in the tunnel. Video from the scene showed the woman walking near a curtain as the Aces came out toward the court. Wilson ran into her, sending the staffer to the floor, while teammates reacted to the sudden collision. The woman quickly got back up, and the Aces continued to the court. Wilson then scored 34 points as Las Vegas completed a 100-82 regular-season win.A’ja Wilson collides with arena staffer as Las Vegas Aces enter courtThe incident happened before tipoff at the Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix. The video showed an arena staffer walking in front of a large curtain just as the Las Vegas players were preparing to run onto the court.Wilson was at the front of the group when she came through the curtain and collided with the woman. The impact sent the staffer to the floor. Chelsea Gray was visible behind Wilson and appeared to react to what had happened.According to the Daily Mail, the woman was able to stand up almost immediately. There was no report in the material reviewed of a serious injury to the staff member.The short clip then spread across X, where viewers focused on how the collision happened. One user wrote: ‘No, why is that lady there?! No one warned her the team are running out.’Another fan asked: ‘Why was she walking past in that moment anyways???’A third wrote: ‘Bruh… why was she just casually walking in front of it.’One viewer took the concern in another direction, writing: ‘Imagine injuring the greatest player of all time just before the playoffs sheesh.’A’ja Wilson scores 34 as Las Vegas Aces beat Phoenix MercuryWilson did not appear affected by the incident once the game began. She scored 17 points in the first quarter and had 21 by halftime as Las Vegas built a 65-36 lead.She made 16 of 28 shots, and her scoring helped Las Vegas build an early cushion.The Aces went on to beat the Phoenix Mercury 100-82 and finished the regular season with a 31-13 record. Wilson led the way with 34 points, while Jewell Loyd added 25 points off the bench. Stephanie Talbot scored 14 and Chelsea Gray had 12 points.The Associated Press reported that Las Vegas shot 56 per cent from the field and had 28 assists. The result left the Aces as the No. 3 seed for the WNBA playoffs, with Indiana Fever waiting in the first round.Phoenix ended its season at 16-28 after the loss. The Mercury had won the opening meeting between the teams 99-66, but Las Vegas won the final three games between them.Wilson’s 34-point night came after the unusual tunnel collision, making the pre-game moment only a small part of an otherwise strong finish to the Aces’ regular season.Stay updated with the latest Asian Games 2026 news, check the Asian Games medal tally and complete Asian Games schedule.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.