A'ja Wilson's South Carolina jersey retired, lifted into rafters: 'An honor I can hardly put into words'
Twenty minutes before tip-off of South Carolina’s game against Auburn, A’ja Wilson emerged from the Gamecocks’ player’s tunnel, walked to the center of the court, gave Dawn Staley a hug and stepped up to the microphone, ready to address the crowd ahead of her jersey retirement ceremony.
This was not Wilson’s first rodeo for having her legacy with the Gamecocks christened with a physical object. But the circumstances surrounding her last dedication were much different.
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On January 18, 2021, Wilson’s statue outside Colonial Life Arena was officially unveiled. The state of South Carolina – and the country as a whole – was still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic at that time. Rather than speaking to thousands of spectators, Wilson addressed a smaller group of friends and family members.
Nonetheless, the moment, and everything it took to reach that point, struck Wilson profoundly on that stage.
“I remember the first time hearing (University) President (Harrris) Pastides at graduation mention this. I didn’t think it was real; I honestly thought it was a joke,” Wilson said that day. “And to see this come together, it’s simply surreal.”
A lot has changed in the four years since then. COVID-19 no longer has the looming presence it once had in the United States. The Gamecocks have gone on to win two national championships, while Wilson has won two WNBA Finals with the Las Vegas Aces.
During this time frame, Wilson’s influence – as a player, leader and author – has only grown. And so did the number of people in attendance for her jersey retirement ceremony at Colonial Life Arena.
Tickets for South Carolina’s Feb. 2 contest against Auburn sold out before the season started. Fans donning garnet and black gear stood outside the stadium hours before tip-off. And those same fans, numbering close to 18,000, erupted in loud cheers as Wilson strode to the microphone.
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Once she got there, she admitted that the task of capturing the moment was not an easy one.
“I’m overwhelmed with gratitude and joy,” Wilson said. “To have my jersey retired at the University of South Carolina, the place where my dreams began, is an honor I can hardly put into words.”
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Wilson extended gratitude to individuals and groups of people – including South Carolina women’s basketball fans and her former Gamecock teammates – who shaped her into the person she is today. She choked up when describing the role her parents, Eva and Roscoe, played in her life.
Wilson also credited Staley for how she aided in her development, in both collegiate and professional ranks.
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“As I look up into the rafters and see my jersey, I’m reminded how important it is to chase your dreams without fear. And the person who taught me that, and is still teaching me to this day, is Dawn Staley,” Wilson said. “Thank you, Coach, for seeing the light in me, even when I couldn’t see it in myself. And for showing me it’s not about the destination, but the journey and the people you meet along the way.”
That journey – which has taken her across the globe and helped her become not only one of the faces of women’s basketball, but an inspiration for the next generation of young women looking to emulate her – ultimately brought Wilson back to Columbia for one of the most memorable moments of her career.
“There’s no one more deserving of this weekend than A’ja. She legitimized our program. She took it to another level. And we still feel her legacy today,” Staley said before the ceremony. “Everybody still talks about her contributions to our program… That’s what legacy is – to be compared to the impact she had.”
And as Wilson looked towards the rafters at her recently-retired jersey, tears began welling up in her eyes. The dream that began at the University of South Carolina had finally become reality.
