Again in 2014, the No.1. prospect within the nation, A’ja Wilson made her collegiate choice at Heathwood Corridor. A South Carolina native, Wilson selected to attend the College of South Carolina over Connecticut, North Carolina, and Tennessee. 11 years later, her quantity will eternally grasp within the rafters at Colonial Life Enviornment, and her statue stays on the College.
At that second, Wilson selected to play for Daybreak Staley and the South Carolina Gamecocks. She had been a dominant highschool participant, main her squad to a state title, and this choice modified this system eternally. It is clear her mother and father, household, and late grandmother had a profound affect on her choice to remain near residence.
South Carolina will all the time be residence to A’ja Wilson
A’ja Wilson speaks on her love for South Carolina and her upcoming shoe ♥️ pic.twitter.com/ZVTLyGwm8g
— Ballislife Womens Basketball (@ballislifewbb_) July 19, 2024
Donning the Garnet and black for 4 years, there’ll by no means be one other no. 22 to play for the College of South Carolina. From main South Carolina to their first-ever NCAA Championship to attaining private accolades, Wilson’s affect on the Gamecocks is eternal. Wilson single-handedly made the Gamecocks Ladies’s Basketball one of the dominant packages within the nation immediately.
With Wilson’s mother and father by her aspect, 18,000 followers poured in previous to the USC vs Auburn matchup to witness the historic second. In an emotional speech, Wilson highlighted the importance of the place her goals started, which was the College of South Carolina. In attendance was Wilson’s former teammate and buddy, Allisha Grey.
Throughout All-Star weekend in July, Wilson described South Carolina as her “residence.” Usually stating she receives free meals, Wilson harassed the significance of visiting the place that formed her
“That is residence,” mentioned Wilson throughout All-Star weekend in Phoenix. “Anytime I can return, I like going again as a result of it is a completely different really feel. It is a completely different vibe. It is a good little hug from my Grandma. They’ve all the time been so supportive of me, regardless of the place I’m. “
The ceremony was emotional for A’ja Wilson and household
Not a dry eye within the constructing @_ajawilson22 ❤️ pic.twitter.com/VEhY9XBRW8
— South Carolina Ladies’s Basketball (@GamecockWBB) February 2, 2025
Thanking her coaches and teammates, Wilson was teary-eyed as she expressed her gratitude for not solely her household however head coach Daybreak Staley. Wilson additionally gave a particular shoutout to her “favourite Olympian from out of city,” Warmth middle Bam Adebayo.
“To have my jersey retired on the College of South Carolina, the place the place my goals started, is an honor I can hardly put into phrases,” mentioned Wilson throughout her speech.
Whereas Wilson has publicly expressed her love for her late grandmother Hattie on social media through the years, she talked about her grandmother’s hardships. Actually, throughout her 2021 statue unveiling, Wilson tearfully spoke on these struggles.
“My Grandmother, Hattie Rakes, grew up on this space,” Wilson mentioned in the course of the statue unveiling speech. When she was a baby, she could not even stroll on the grounds of the College of South Carolina. She must stroll across the campus simply to get to the place she wanted to go.”
Simply the fifth Gamecock to have her jersey quantity retired by the College, Wilson is arguably probably the most outstanding participant ever to grace the hardwood for the College of South Carolina. Speak about a full-circle second for Wilson, her household, and her late Grandmother, Hattie.
A’ja Wilson and Daybreak Staley share an unimaginable bond
A’lways and eternally pic.twitter.com/QtRtAvguI4
— South Carolina Ladies’s Basketball (@GamecockWBB) February 2, 2025
With No. 22 eternally retired, Wilson exemplifies what South Carolina basketball stands for: greatness, management, robust household ties, exhausting work, and dedication. Now, Wilson’s jersey sits within the rafters alongside Martha Parker, Shannon Johnson, Tiffany Mitchell, and Sheila Foster. She’s probably the most adorned athlete in any sport on the College.
Now thought of among the best to teach girls’s basketball, it is all the time been greater than basketball for Staley. Having been there for Wilson throughout boy issues, she one way or the other satisfied Wilson to remain past her freshman yr. If there’s one key takeaway from A’ja Wilson’s jersey retirement speech, it’s Staley’s unwavering help.
“As I search for within the rafters and see my jersey, I am reminded how vital it’s to chase your goals with out worry,” Wilson mentioned throughout her jersey retirement speech. “And the one that instructed me that and remains to be instructing me that’s Daybreak Staley. Thanks, coach, for seeing the sunshine in me even after I could not see it myself.”
Though the 2 nonetheless share a particular bond, A’ja Wilson and Daybreak Staley’s dominance on the court docket stays. All through Wilson’s time in South Carolina, she led the Gamecocks to a 129-16 document. Main this system to 4 consecutive SEC Championships, Wilson will eternally be recognized for bringing South Carolina its first NCAA Championship in historical past.
Ten years later, Wilson acquired the 2024 Daybreak Staley Neighborhood Management Award for her management and constructive affect on the neighborhood. Speak about one other full-circle second.
A’ja Wilson is probably the most adorned athlete on the College of South Carolina
3x SEC Participant of the Yr, Wilson stays the all-time chief in factors (2,389) and blocks (363) on the College of South Carolina. Recipient of the Wade Trophy, and John R. Wooden Award, Wilson was named the 2017-2018 Naismith Faculty Participant of the Yr. Whereas that is such a fraction of all she’s achieved on the collegiate stage, No. 22 has gone on to perform nice issues at the next stage.
The Consensus Nationwide Participant of the Yr her senior yr, A’ja was additionally named co-Defensive Participant of the Yr. And with that, that is translated to the WNBA.
Arguably the very best participant ever to play girls’s basketball, Wilson has received two WNBA Championships and is a three-time WNBA MVP. A two-time Olympic gold medalist, Wilson was a vital a part of the 2024 Ladies’s Olympic Basketball group in Paris. From school to the professionals, Wilson was a two-time first-team All-Protection and three-time first-team All-WNBA choice.
As we speak, Wilson will debut her signature shoe, A’One. She is going to proceed to encourage the subsequent era whereas rising to the highest of the skilled rankings.
If there’s one message to remove from the jersey retirement, Daybreak Staley made it clear that no participant from the College of South Carolina will ever put on no. 22 once more.
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Sara Jane Gamelli is a full-time Sportswriter, Content material Creator, and Supervisor for Ballislife Bets. She focuses on girls’s basketball and the NBA. Sara Jane resides within the Connecticut/NYC space along with her Cat and Canine. SJ has an undergraduate diploma in economics from the College of Connecticut.
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