Dawn Staley jokes about the original opinion on the game of A’JA Wilson before South Carolina – Sports Illustrated

By the time her career was over, Las Vegas Aces Superstar and 2024 WNBA MVP A’JA Wilson could descend as the best player in the history of women’s basketball.

Wilson would not have reached this moment without the dawn Staley. Wilson spent four seasons playing for the legendary Gamecocks coach in South Carolina before becoming the number 1 of WNBA’s 2018 WNBA draft.

Wilson won the South Carolina National Championship also adds her impressive heritage. And this heritage is immortalized on Sunday, February 2, as her # 22 retires in the ribs of the colonial arena of Gamecocks.

And Scape’s Sean Hurd wrote an article on January 29 for this retirement ceremony in Jersey. At one point, Staley’s initial reaction to Wilson before she signed in South Carolina.

A’Ja “was good at everything but basketball,” Staley joked in the article, recalling when Wilson attended the local Staley Basketball Camp before college.

“She was tall,” Staley added. “I don’t even think basketball was at the forefront of her mind.”

Of course, Wilson eventually won Staley enough so that the two came together in South Carolina – and the rest is history.

Later in the article, Staley said: “When people have contributed to their university, their athletics department, their city, their country, and then nationally, it is only appropriate to honor them. A’ja is probably the tip of the top when it comes to what she meant about our program. ”

Sunday, February 2, will be a special moment for Staley, Wilson and the entire women’s women’s women’s program in South Carolina Gamecocks.