A’ja Wilson’s mother, Eva Rakes Wilson, drew attention after carrying a “LOVE beats HATE” sign around Michelob ULTRA Arena following the Las Vegas Aces’ series-clinching win over the Indiana Fever on Thursday.
The sign surfaced two days after Wilson entered the stands during Game 2 in Indianapolis and confronted a Fever fan during a heated exchange. Wilson received a technical foul for unsportsmanlike conduct but was not ejected or suspended.
Eva Wilson was later approached by OutKick reporter Jon Root, who asked her about the meaning of the sign.
According to video of the exchange shared by Root, Wilson responded by asking, “What do you think it is?” She later said, “I mean exactly what the sign says.”
Article Continues BelowA'ja Wilson’s mom gets confrontational after being asked what her “Love Beats Hate” sign means. pic.twitter.com/FbAvAh2ZNq
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Root then asked whether the sign referred to Indiana Fever fans being hateful. Wilson again pointed to the message on the sign and said, “That’s what I mean.”
The interaction ended with Wilson’s mom walking away after further questions from Root.
The sign came after A’ja Wilson helped the Aces eliminate the Fever with a 94-83 victory in Game 3. Wilson finished with 36 points and 10 rebounds as Las Vegas won the first-round series 2-1.
The Game 2 incident had remained a topic of discussion entering the deciding game. Wilson had confronted a fan after a sequence involving Fever guard Sophie Cunningham. Officials separated Wilson and the fan, and Fever management later determined that the fan had not violated the arena’s code of conduct.
Wilson later explained after Game 2 that she objected to the fan pointing at her and moving toward her.