A’ja Wilson says an official told her to calm down

VILLENEUVE-D’ASCQ, France (AP) — A’ja Wilson has at all times shown emotion on the pitch.

Whether it’s to encourage her teammates with an awesome pass or to encourage herself with a spectacular basket or block, Wilson uses it to fuel her MVP-level play.

Apparently not everyone seems to be in favor of this.

Wilson recalled that after the U.S. beat Belgium on Thursday night on the Olympics, certainly one of the judges told her to tone it down.

“I have to get my emotions in check (he said), and I think that just made them worse because I’m like, ‘How are you going to tell me at work that I can’t show emotion, that I can’t show passion?’” she said. “So I stay calm. I’m still myself. I stay calm, understanding who I am and who I have around me, and I don’t look back, and I just keep going.”

Wilson said she doesn’t plan to change her game when the U.S. faces Germany on Sunday for top spot within the group. Both teams are 2-0 and have already advanced to the quarterfinals in Paris.

“I’m not going to let a defender think he stopped me. I don’t think I’m ever going to let them off the hook,” she said. “And that’s what I have to do. So to that judge, I’m going to keep yelling. I’m going to keep screaming. I’m going to keep being rowdy, swearing at any point in between the cheering. Because that’s the game I play.”

Wilson said the official made the comment after returning and watching the play.

“I’m not telling him not to blow the whistle, just like I’m not telling you how to do your job, so you’re not telling me how to do mine,” the two-time WNBA MVP said.

Wilson, who averages 23.5 points and 13 rebounds for the U.S., wasn’t the just one showing emotion within the win over Belgium. It was a fun game with greater than 25,000 fans, mostly rooting for Belgium, in attendance, and the world was about six miles from the country’s border.

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The often composed Breanna Stewart was excited after a spectacular block, and Sabrina Ionescu silenced the group by putting her finger to her lips after a late 3-pointer.

The Americans had an awesome time, winning their 57th consecutive Olympic victory.

“Obviously knowing we were a little smaller in our crowd, but just wanting to get the team fired up a little bit and you know what’s at stake and how important it is,” Stewart said. “We won one game, but that doesn’t mean anything. So we just, we just played with a lot of passion and had a lot of fun.”