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A'ja Wilson

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A'ja Wilson
Wilson with the Las Vegas Aces in 2024
No. 22 – Las Vegas Aces
PositionCenter
LeagueWNBA
Personal information
Born (1996-08-08) August 8, 1996 (age 28)
Columbia, South Carolina, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Listed weight195 lb (88 kg)
Career information
High schoolHeathwood Hall Episcopal
(Columbia, South Carolina)
CollegeSouth Carolina (2014–2018)
WNBA draft2018: 1st round, 1st overall pick
Selected by the Las Vegas Aces
Playing career2018–present
Career history
2018–presentLas Vegas Aces
2018–2019Shaanxi Red Wolves
Career highlights and awards
Stats at WNBA.com
Stats at Basketball Reference
Medals
Women's basketball
Representing the  United States
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2024 Paris Team
Gold medal – first place 2020 Tokyo Team
World Cup
Gold medal – first place 2018 Spain
Gold medal – first place 2022 Australia

A'ja Riyadh Wilson (/ˈeɪʒə/ AY-zhə; born August 8, 1996)[1] is an American professional basketball player for the Las Vegas Aces of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).

Wilson played for the South Carolina Gamecocks in college, and helped lead the Gamecocks to their first NCAA Women's Basketball Championship in 2017, and won the NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player award. In 2018, she won a record third straight SEC Player of the Year award, leading South Carolina to a record fourth straight SEC Tournament Championship, becoming the all-time leading scorer in South Carolina women's basketball history, and was a consensus first-team All-American for the third consecutive season. Wilson swept all National Player of the Year awards (Wade, AP, Honda, USBWA, Wooden, and Naismith) as the best player in Women's College basketball for 2018. In the 2018 WNBA draft, she was drafted first overall by the Aces.

Wilson won her first WNBA MVP in 2020, as well as her first Olympic gold medal in the 2020 Summer Olympics. In 2022, Wilson helped lead the Aces to their first title in franchise history, a feat she repeated in 2023 while earning Finals MVP. On July 7, 2024, in a matchup against the Dallas Wings, she became the Aces' all-time leading scorer in franchise history.[2] She is also a New York Times best-selling author. She also won the gold medal in basketball at the 2024 Summer Olympics. On September 15, 2024, A'ja Wilson became the first WNBA player to score 1,000 points in a season when she had 29 in the Las Vegas Aces' 84–71 win over the Connecticut Sun.

Early life

[edit]

Wilson was born on August 8, 1996, to Roscoe Jr. and Eva Wilson.[3] She said on NPR's Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! that she was named for her father's favorite song, "Aja" by Steely Dan.[4] Her middle name Riyadh came from the Saudi Arabian capital where Aja's maternal aunt was deployed in Operation Desert Storm.

Wilson spent her grade school and high school years as one of the few black students in Heathwood Hall Episcopal School, a southern Columbia private school.[5]

Wilson played a total of 119 high school games after making the varsity team as an eighth-grader. She averaged 24.7 points, 13.9 rebounds, and 4.3 blocks a game throughout her high school career. She was number 22 and played as a forward.[6] After finishing as a runner-up in her junior year, Wilson led Heathwood Hall to the 2014 state championship as a senior. Her 35 points, 15 rebounds, and five blocks per game as a senior[5] made her the National High School player of the year in 2014, a Parade and McDonald's All-American, and the #1 rated ESPN HoopGurlz prospect in 2014.[7] Wilson committed to play for Dawn Staley at the University of South Carolina.

College career

[edit]
Wilson at South Carolina

Wilson played in 37 games her freshman year, leading to four single-game freshman records in the SEC and three single-season freshman records in the SEC, and won the SEC Freshman of the year award.[8] In 2016 as a sophomore, Wilson would win her first SEC Player of the Year award and was a consensus All-American, Wilson led the Gamecocks to a SEC regular season and Tournament Championship. In 2017, Wilson once again led the Gamecocks to a SEC regular season and Tournament championship, and went on to win the school's first national championship with a stirring victory over the Mississippi State Bulldogs in the championship game. She was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament.[9] In 2018, Wilson had her best season statistically, and won all of the National player of the year awards. She won a record 3rd straight SEC Player of the Year award, and was also a Consensus All-American for the third straight year. Wilson finished her college career at South Carolina as the all-time leading scorer for the school.

On January 18, 2021, as part of the university's observance of Martin Luther King Day, a statue of Wilson was dedicated near the main entrance to South Carolina's basketball home of Colonial Life Arena. In a Zoom call during the ceremony, Wilson noted:[10]

My grandmother couldn't even walk on this campus; she had to walk around [it]. If she was here today to see her granddaughter has a statue where she once could not walk ... it goes to show how you just plant seeds, and that's what it's all about.

Professional career

[edit]

WNBA

[edit]
A'ja Wilson goes for a rebound in 2018.

In 2018, Wilson was drafted first overall by the Las Vegas Aces. On May 20, 2018, in her career debut, Wilson scored 14 points along with 10 rebounds in a 101–65 loss to the Connecticut Sun.[11][12] On June 16, 2018, Wilson scored a career-high of 35 points along with 13 rebounds in a 101–92 overtime victory against the Indiana Fever, becoming the second rookie in league history to score 35 points and grab 10 rebounds.[13] Wilson would be voted into the 2018 WNBA All-Star Game. Later on in the season, Wilson would be named the WNBA Rookie of the Year. She was tied for third in scoring. Her season performance almost led the Aces to the playoffs as they finished 9th place with a 14–20 record.

Wilson shooting a free throw in 2019

On June 29, 2019, Wilson scored a new career-high 39 points in a 102–97 overtime victory against the Indiana Fever.[14] In July, Wilson suffered an ankle injury that kept her out for 4 weeks, causing her to miss the 2019 WNBA All-Star Game. She made her return in mid-August. By the end of the season, the Aces finished with a 21–13 record and the number 4 seed, receiving a bye to the second round, helping the franchise get back to the playoffs for the first time since 2014. In the second round elimination game, the Aces defeated the Chicago Sky 93–92 in a thriller game, where teammate Dearica Hamby came up with a steal and nailed the game-winning three from half-court with 4-second left. However, in the semi-finals, the Aces would lose in four games to the Washington Mystics, who would go on to win the 2019 WNBA championship.

In the 2020 season, the Aces were championship contenders. The season was delayed and shortened to 22 games in a bubble at IMG Academy due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With her all-star teammate Liz Cambage sitting out the season due to health concerns, Wilson carried the team by putting up peak numbers, the Aces finishing the season 18-4 and the number 1 seed, receiving a double bye to the semi-finals. In the semi-finals, the Aces would defeat the Connecticut Sun in a hard-fought five-game series, advancing to the Finals for the second time in franchise history (first since relocating to Las Vegas); however with a shorthanded roster against a fully loaded Seattle Storm team, the Aces would be defeated in a three-game sweep. Wilson would end up winning the MVP award for the 2020 season.

In 2022, Wilson would win her second MVP and first Defensive Player of the Year award, averaging 19.5 points, 9.4 rebounds and 1.9 blocks while leading the league with 17 double-doubles.[15] Wilson helped propel the Aces to their second finals appearance in three seasons, where they would defeat the Connecticut Sun in four games, giving Wilson her first championship.[16][17]

Wilson in 2023

On June 30, 2023, Wilson signed a contract extension with the Aces to keep herself in Las Vegas.[18]

On August 22, 2023, Wilson achieved a new career high in points, scoring 53 points along with 7 rebounds in a 112–100 victory over the Atlanta Dream. Her 53-point showing tied the WNBA's single game record and is one of three 50-plus point performances in WNBA history.[19]

Despite another strong 2023 regular season and being amongst the WNBA leaders in points, rebounds and blocks per game, Wilson fell short of garnering back-to-back MVP honors.[20] She did, however, repeat as Defensive Player of the year in 2023.[21]

A'ja Wilson wearing street clothes (including a black Dawn Staley T-shirt) sitting on the bench courtside for the Las Vegas Aces. Wilson was out with an injured ankle against the New York Liberty, September 8, 2024, and she is wearing a boot
A'ja Wilson on the bench for the Las Vegas Aces. Wilson was out with an injured ankle against the New York Liberty, September 8, 2024.

Fueled by Wilson's late 2023 season dominance, the Aces swept their first two 2023 playoff series against the Chicago Sky and Dallas Wings, respectively. The Aces carried that momentum into the Finals against the New York Liberty, winning the first two games of the series at home, while extending their playoff winning streak to eight games.[22] Despite a Game 3 setback on the Liberty's home floor and losing two starters to injury, Wilson and the Aces overcame a late double-digit Game 4 deficit to defeat the Liberty 70-69 and win their second consecutive WNBA title, the first back-to-back WNBA championship since the Los Angeles Sparks repeated as champs in 2001 and 2002. Wilson posted averages of 23.8 points and 11.8 rebounds per game in the 2023 WNBA Finals, which bested her 2023 regular season numbers of 22.8 points and 9.5 rebounds per game. She was awarded her first Finals MVP for her impressive performance in the Aces-Liberty series.[23]

On June 5, 2024, in the match-up against the Dallas Wings, Wilson became the first player to have at least 35+ points, 10+ rebounds, and 5+ steals in a single game in WNBA history.[24] On September 11, Wilson set the single-season scoring record against the Indiana Fever.[25]

Overseas

[edit]

In August 2018, Wilson signed with the Shaanxi Red Wolves of the Women's Chinese Basketball Association for the 2018–19 off-season.[26]

National team career

[edit]

2020 Summer Olympics

[edit]

In late March 2020, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government postponed the 2020 Summer Olympics until the summer of 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[27] On June 21, 2021, Wilson was named to the 12-player roster for Team USA for the 2020 summer Olympics.[28] She and Team USA went on to win the gold medal in the tournament, defeating Japan 90–75 in the final.[29] At the conclusion of the tournament, Wilson was named to FIBA's All-Star Five team.[30]

2024 Summer Olympics

[edit]

In June 2024, Wilson was again named to the US women's Olympic team to compete at the 2024 Summer Olympics in France, alongside fellow Aces teammates, Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum, and Jackie Young.[31] Wilson led the United States to defeat France 67–66 in the final, earning Wilson her second consecutive gold medal and the United States' eighth consecutive gold medal.[32] Wilson was named the MVP of the tournament after leading Team USA in points, rebounds, steals, blocks, field goals made, free throws made, and efficiency.[33][34] She was also named to FIBA's All-Star Five team.[35]

Career statistics

[edit]
Legend
GP Games played GS Games started MPG Minutes per game FG% Field goal percentage
3P% 3-point field goal percentage FT% Free throw percentage RPG Rebounds per game APG Assists per game
SPG Steals per game BPG Blocks per game TO Turnovers per game PPG Points per game
Bold Career high Led Division I ° Led the league ‡ WNBA record
† Denotes season(s) in which Wilson won a WNBA championship
* Denotes season(s) in which Wilson won an NCAA Championship

WNBA

[edit]

Regular season

[edit]

Stats current through end of 2024 season

WNBA regular season statistics[36][37]
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG TO PPG
2018 Las Vegas 33 33 30.6 .462 — .774 8.0 2.2 0.8 1.6 1.4 20.7
2019 Las Vegas 26 25 28.4 .479 .000 .792 6.4 1.8 0.5 1.7 2.1 16.5
2020 Las Vegas 22 22 31.7 .480 — .781 8.5 2.0 1.2 2.0° 1.6 20.5
2021 Las Vegas 32 32 31.9 .444 1.000 .876 9.3 3.1 0.9 1.3 1.4 18.3
2022† Las Vegas 36 36 30.0 .501 .373 .813 9.4 2.1 1.4 1.9° 1.7 19.5
2023† Las Vegas 40 40 30.7 .557 .310 .812 9.5 1.6 1.4 2.2° 1.6 22.8
2024 Las Vegas 38 38 34.4 .518 .317 .844 11.9 2.3 1.8 2.6° 1.3 26.9‡
Career 7 years, 1 team 227 226 31.2 .497 .345 .815 9.2 2.2 1.2 1.9 1.6 21.1
All-Star 5 4 21.5 .524 .307 1.000 5.2 2.2 1.2 0.4 1.2 15.6

Playoffs

[edit]
WNBA playoff statistics
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG TO PPG
2019 Las Vegas 5 5 33.7 .436 — .950 7.8 1.6 0.6 2.0° 1.6 13.4
2020 Las Vegas 8 8 35.4 .473 — .857 8.9 2.4 1.0 2.3 2.0 20.8
2021 Las Vegas 5 5 32.2 .435 — .654 9.2 3.2 1.0 1.0 2.2 14.2
2022† Las Vegas 10 10 37.2 .552 .143 .791 10.4 2.0 1.0 2.4 1.3 20.3
2023† Las Vegas 9 9 33.2 .554° .500 .831 11.8 1.2 1.4 2.3 2.1 23.8
2024 Las Vegas 6 6 36.5 .535 .500 .750 9.7 2.4 0.3 2.5° 1.3 21.3
Career 6 years, 1 team 43 43 34.9 .512 .292 .808 9.9 2.1 1.0 2.2 1.7 19.7

College

[edit]
NCAA statistics[38][39]
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG TO PPG
2014–15 South Carolina 37 1 19.8 .538 .333 .662 6.6 1.0 .9 1.8 1.7 13.1
2015–16 South Carolina 33 32 27.1 .531 — .723 8.7 1.4 .8 3.1 2.2 16.1
2016–17* South Carolina 35 35 28.4 .588 — .737 7.8 1.4 1.2 2.6 1.9 17.9
2017–18 South Carolina 33 29 29.4 .542 .417 .732 11.8 1.7 1.0 3.2 2.5 22.6
Career 138 97 26.0 .550 .375 .715 8.7 1.4 1.0 2.6 2.1 17.3

Off the court

[edit]

Personal life

[edit]

Wilson's mother, Eva Rakes Wilson, worked as a court stenographer and for the Richland County School District 1 in Columbia, South Carolina.[40] Wilson's father, Roscoe Wilson Jr., played college basketball at Benedict College and professionally in Europe for 10 seasons.[41] Wilson has an older brother, Renaldo, who also played professional basketball overseas. Wilson is a Christian and grew up with strong ties to the religion (one of her grandfathers was a minister).[42]

Wilson majored in mass communications at the University of South Carolina, graduating in May 2018.[43] Wilson established the A'ja Wilson Foundation in 2019 that advocates for preventing bullying and education around dyslexia. She is also a member of the WNBA Social Justice Council.

Wilson is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.[44] She has multiple tattoos, including one for her late-grandmother.[45]

Business interests

[edit]

Wilson is represented by Klutch Sports Group.[46]

Wilson signed with Nike in May 2018.[47] Six years later in May 2024, Wilson and Nike announced that she would be the 13th player in WNBA history to design and release a signature sneaker, the A'One.[48]

In October 2018, Wilson signed an endorsement deal with Mountain Dew, the first female basketball player sign with the brand.[49] During the 2020 Wubble season, Wilson continued her partnership with Mountain Dew and helped create the "Crossover Salon" to provide haircuts for players and coaches in the WNBA isolation zone.[50] In the summer of 2021 before the 2021 WNBA All-Star Game, Wilson designed and released a limited-edition Mountain Dew hoodie and durag commemorating her 2020 MVP award.[51][52]

In April 2021, Wilson started Burnt Wax Candle Company, a luxury candle line.[53] In August 2022, Wilson became the first female athlete to sign a multi-year sponsorship deal with Ruffles and released a signature chip, Smoky BBQ Ruffles Ridge Twists.[54]

In May 2024, Wilson signed a multi-year endorsement deal with Gatorade[55][56] and was featured in the company's "IT Hasn't Changed" ad campaign, a revival of its late 1990s "Is It In You?" campaign.[57][58]

[edit]

In 2019, Wilson played for the "Home" roster during the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game at the Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina. The roster was made up of celebrities with Carolina roots.[59]

In December 2020, Wilson was named to Forbes 30 Under 30 alongside fellow WNBA players, Natasha Cloud and Chiney Ogwumike.[5][60][61] In April 2024, Time named Wilson in their 2024 list of the 100 most influential people in the world.[62]

In July 2024, Wilson was named the co-cover athlete for the All-Star edition (alongside Jayson Tatum) and solo cover athlete for the WNBA edition of NBA 2K25, a popular video game, making Wilson the first WNBA player to be featured on a cover of a global edition of the game.[63][64]

In the media

[edit]

In 2020 and 2021, she and Minnesota Lynx forward, Napheesa Collier, hosted a podcast about the WNBA, Tea with A & Phee, produced by Just Women's Sports.[65]

In February 2024, Wilson published her first book, Dear Black Girls,[66] which became a The New York Times best seller that same month.[67][68]

Commentary on racial bias in marketing of female athletes

[edit]

Days after the announcement of Wilson's signature shoe, the A'One, with Nike,[69] Wilson, in an interview with the Associated Press, agreed when asked, that white female athletes (including Indiana Fever rookie, Caitlin Clark) are often perceived as more marketable than black female athletes.[70] She alluded to her own experience of needing incredible success in the WNBA before garnering high-level sponsorship and business deals (such as a signature shoe) as a black woman: "[corporations] don't see [people of color] as marketable, so it doesn't matter how hard I work. It doesn't matter what we all do as black women."[71] Wilson's comments were made in light of recent reports from The Wall Street Journal and The Athletic that Clark and Nike were in negotiations for an eight-figure endorsement deal, including a signature shoe,[72] effectively making Clark the fifth Caucasian active player in the WNBA (joining Elena Delle Donne, Diana Taurasi, Sabrina Ionescu, and Breanna Stewart) with a signature shoe.[73] Before this Nike-Clark deal was reported, many fans, reporters, and fellow athletes had been asking for Nike to give Wilson a signature shoe, including Aces' head coach, Becky Hammon, and NBA star, LeBron James,[74][75][76] given her accolades and exceptional performance in the WNBA and long-standing sponsorship with Nike.[47][77]

Records

[edit]
WNBA
  • All-time leader in 40-point games: 4[n 1]
  • All-time leader in consecutive regular season games with 20+ points: 20 (2024)[79]
  • All-time leader in consecutive regular season games with 25+ points: 8 (2024)[80]
  • All-time leader in consecutive regular season games with 20+ points and 8+ rebounds: 18 (2023–24)[81]
  • All-time leader in most points scored in first 20 games of the regular season: 540 points (2024)[82]
  • Single-game leader in points: 53 (August 22, 2023 at Atlanta)[n 2]
  • Single-season leader in points (2024)[84]
Las Vegas Aces
  • All-time leader in points[85]
  • All-time leader in rebounds[86]

Awards and honors

[edit]

WNBA

[edit]

College

[edit]

High school

[edit]
  • National High School Player of the Year (WBCA, Naismith, Parade) (2014)
  • McDonald's All-America (2013–14)
  • Parade All-America (2013–14)
  • Gatorade South Carolina Girls Basketball Player of the Year (2013–2014)

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Tied with Breanna Stewart and Diana Taurasi[78]
  2. ^ Tied with Liz Cambage[83]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "South Carolina Gamecock". South Carolina Gamecocks.
  2. ^ "Las Vegas Aces 1st repeat WNBA champs in 21 years, A'ja Wilson earns Finals MVP". NBA.com. Retrieved October 19, 2023.
  3. ^ "A'ja Wilson Bio University of South Carolina Official Athletic Site". www.gamecocksonline.com. Archived from the original on May 22, 2018. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
  4. ^ "A'ja Wilson". Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!. November 7, 2020. Event occurs at 23:24. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
  5. ^ a b c "WNBA playoffs give Las Vegas Aces' A'ja Wilson chance to cement her status as an icon". September 28, 2021. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
  6. ^ "A'ja Wilson's High School Girls Basketball Stats". MaxPreps.com. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
  7. ^ "HoopGurlz – South Carolina Gamecocks get commitment from A'ja Wilson, No. 1 prospect in espnW HoopGurlz Top 100 for 2014 recruiting class". espnW. April 16, 2014. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
  8. ^ "SEC women's basketball awards announced". SECsports.com. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  9. ^ "Women's Final Four: South Carolina beats Mississippi State to win first national title". CBS Sports. Retrieved April 3, 2017.
  10. ^ Voepel, Mechelle (January 18, 2021). "A'ja Wilson says unveiling of statue at South Carolina on MLK Day shows 'how you just plant seeds' for change". ESPN.com. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
  11. ^ "Mohegan Sun Arena Sunday, May 20, 2018". wnba.com.
  12. ^ "A'ja Wilson delivers double-double in WNBA debut". thestate.com.
  13. ^ "A'ja Wilson hits historic mark a few games in to WNBA rookie season". thestate.com.
  14. ^ "A'ja Wilson scores career-high 39, Aces beat Fever in OT". apnews.com. June 30, 2019.
  15. ^ "Aces' Wilson named WNBA MVP for second time". ESPN.com. September 7, 2022. Retrieved September 24, 2022.
  16. ^ "Las Vegas Aces' A'ja Wilson Wins 2022 KIA WNBA Most Valuable Player Award". WNBA.com - Official Site of the WNBA. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
  17. ^ "The 2022 Las Vegas Aces: A Season Defined by Culture". WNBA.com - Official Site of the WNBA. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
  18. ^ "Las Vegas Aces Sign Two-Time M'VP A'ja Wilson To Contract Extension". aces.wnba.com. WNBA. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
  19. ^ "'Generational talent' Wilson's 53 ties WNBA record". August 23, 2023.
  20. ^ "Kia WNBA MVP Breanna Stewart, Kia WNBA Defensive Player of the Year A'ja Wilson and Record-Setting Alyssa Thomas Headline 2023 All-WNBA First Team - WNBA".
  21. ^ "Las Vegas Aces' A'ja Wilson Named 2023 Kia WNBA Defensive Player of the Year - WNBA".
  22. ^ "GAME PREVIEW: Aces Can Close Out 2nd Consecutive Championship Sunday in New York".
  23. ^ "Aces repeat as champions: 'This one's sweeter'". October 19, 2023.
  24. ^ "A'ja Wilson puts up historic line in Aces' win over Wings". ESPN. The Associated Press. June 5, 2024.
  25. ^ "Aces' A'ja Wilson breaks WNBA single-season scoring record". ESPN. September 11, 2024.
  26. ^ "A'ja Wilson signs with China's Team Shanxi, source confirms". spursandfeathers.com. Archived from the original on April 19, 2019. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
  27. ^ "IOC, IPC, Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee and Tokyo Metropolitan Government Announce New Dates for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020". Olympic.org. March 30, 2020.
  28. ^ Wimbish, Jasmyn (June 21, 2021). "Team USA women's basketball roster announced for 2020 Olympics, headlined by Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi". CBS Sports. Retrieved June 8, 2024.
  29. ^ Wallace, Ava (August 8, 2021). "Dawn Staley and Sue Bird make sure their final USA Basketball moment is golden". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 8, 2024.
  30. ^ "MVP Stewart leads All-Star Five at the Women's Olympic Basketball Tournament in Tokyo". FIBA. August 8, 2021.
  31. ^ Henderson, Cydney (June 17, 2024). "USA basketball Olympic women's team roster: Who made the cut for Paris Olympics". USA Today. Retrieved July 6, 2024.
  32. ^ Summers, Juana (August 11, 2024). "U.S. women's basketball team defeats France to win eighth straight Olympic gold medal". NPR. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  33. ^ @FIBA (August 11, 2024). "THE MVP OF #Paris2024 Women's #Basketball ⭐️ A'ja Wilson, United States of America 🇺🇸" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  34. ^ @StatMamba (August 11, 2024). "A'ja Wilson led Team USA in..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  35. ^ "A'ja Wilson crowned Paris 2024 MVP to headline All-Star Five". FIBA. August 11, 2024.
  36. ^ "WNBA Stats – A'ja Wilson". WNBA. NBA Media Ventures, LLC.
  37. ^ "A'ja Wilson WNBA Stats". Basketball Reference.
  38. ^ "NCAA Statistics". web1.ncaa.org. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
  39. ^ "A'ja Wilson College Stats". Sports Reference. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
  40. ^ Hurd, Sean (February 6, 2024). "Las Vegas Aces forward A'ja Wilson puts mother's lessons into book 'Dear Black Girls: How to Be True to You'". AndScape. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  41. ^ "Roscoe Wilson Jr. (2011) - Hall of Fame". Benedict College Athletics. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  42. ^ Doering, Joshua (September 19, 2022). "A'ja Wilson leads Las Vegas Aces to WNBA title: 'I've got to give it all to God'". Sports Spectrum. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
  43. ^ "Recap: A'ja Wilson's Graduation Day". WNBA. May 12, 2018. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  44. ^ Peterson, Mya (July 24, 2023). "Inside The WNBA's Sisterhood Of The Divine Nine". SLAM. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
  45. ^ Harris, Rebecca (April 3, 2017). "A'ja Wilson fulfills wish to her home, family". NCAA.com. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
  46. ^ Yamashita, Andy (February 17, 2022). "Las Vegas Aces stars join Rich Paul's Klutch Sports". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  47. ^ a b Hadley, Greg (May 1, 2018). "Just do it. A'ja Wilson's apparel deal is the WNBA top pick's first big endorsement". The State. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  48. ^ Dodson, Aaron (May 11, 2024). "It's official: A'ja Wilson is getting her own Nike signature sneaker". Andscape. ESPN Enterprises, Inc. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  49. ^ Georgiou, Stephan (October 17, 2018). "Mountain Dew names A'ja Wilson first WNBA ambassador". SportsPro Media.
  50. ^ Jowers, Aislyn (August 18, 2020). "A'ja Wilson Partners With Mountain Dew". Beyond Women's Sports.
  51. ^ Sprung, Shlomo (July 8, 2021). "A'ja Wilson Designs Mountain Dew WNBA All-Star Merch Drop". Boardroom. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  52. ^ @WNBA (July 8, 2021). "You gotta get your hands on @_ajawilson22's and @mountaindew's merch" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  53. ^ "A'ja Wilson Launches Burnt Wax Candle Company". The Minority Eye. April 21, 2021. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  54. ^ "Ruffles Adds a Twist to the Chip Aisle with First Female Chip Deal, Welcoming WNBA All-Star A'ja Wilson and New Ruffles Ridge Twists to the Ruffles Roster". PR Newswire (Press release). Frito-Lay North America. August 16, 2022.
  55. ^ Vorkunov, Mike (May 7, 2024). "Aces star A'ja Wilson signs multi-year deal with Gatorade". The Athletic.
  56. ^ Benson, Pat (May 7, 2024). "A'Ja Wilson is the Latest Sneaker Icon to Sign With Gatorade". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  57. ^ "Gatorade's Iconic "Is It In You?" Tagline Returns for Largest Campaign in Brand History". PR News Wire (Press release). The Gatorade Company. May 29, 2024. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  58. ^ Deyo, Jessica (May 29, 2024). "Gatorade revives iconic 'Is It In You?' tagline for largest-ever campaign". Marketing Dive. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  59. ^ "ESPN and NBA announce celebrity rosters and coaches for 2019 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game presented by Ruffles exclusively on ESPN". NBA.com. Retrieved February 24, 2019.
  60. ^ Ariail, Cat (December 2, 2020). "Natasha Cloud, Chiney Ogwumike and A'ja Wilson named to the 'Forbes 30 Under 30 List'". Swish Appeal. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  61. ^ "A'ja Wilson - 30 Under 30 Profile". Forbes. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  62. ^ Brady, Tom (April 17, 2024). "The 100 Most Influential People Of 2024: A'ja Wilson". Time. Archived from the original on April 27, 2024. Retrieved October 26, 2007.
  63. ^ Conway, Tyler (July 10, 2024). "NBA 2K25 Reveals Jayson Tatum, A'ja Wilson, Vince Carter Covers and New Features". Bleacher Report.
  64. ^ Maas, Jennifer (July 10, 2024). "'NBA 2K25' Sets Release Date, Reveals First-Ever Dual-League Cover With WNBA". Variety. Retrieved July 13, 2024.
  65. ^ Negley, Cassandra (May 21, 2021). "WNBA tea: A'ja Wilson, Napheesa Collier's candid hit podcast returns for in-season look at WNBA life". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved July 19, 2023.
  66. ^ Titus, Payton. "Gamecock great A'ja Wilson promotes new book, praises Dawn Staley in TV appearances". thestate.com. Retrieved February 7, 2024.
  67. ^ "The New York Times Best Sellers - February 25, 2024". The New York Times. February 25, 2024. Archived from the original on May 28, 2024.
  68. ^ "A'ja Wilson becomes New York Times Best-Selling Author". WACH Sports. February 15, 2024. Retrieved July 8, 2024.
  69. ^ Philippou, Alexis (May 11, 2024). "Aces star A'ja Wilson announces signature shoe with Nike". ESPN. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  70. ^ Young, Grant (May 15, 2024). "WNBA Star A'ja Wilson Suggests Caitlin Clark's Popularity Linked to Race". MSN. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  71. ^ "The race question follows Caitlin Clark to the WNBA: 'Boils my blood'". The New York Post. Associated Press. May 13, 2024. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  72. ^ "Caitlin Clark set to sign new 8-year deal with Nike, reports say". Associated Press News. April 23, 2024. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  73. ^ Walsh, Declan (May 15, 2024). "Caitlin Clark responds to A'ja Wilson's racial divide concern that boiled Las Vegas star's blood". Daily Mirror. New York. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  74. ^ ""Signature shoe coming": LeBron James predicts big things for 'sis' A'ja Wilson". Sportskeeda. October 19, 2023. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  75. ^ "Kelsey Plum/Becky Hammon/A'ja Wilson postgame: Las Vegas Aces defeat New York Liberty 99-82 – Game 1". YouTube. October 8, 2023. Event occurs at 2:34. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  76. ^ @BubbatheOG (May 15, 2024). "WNBA superstar A'ja Wilson said the elephant in the room when it comes to the enormous popularity of Caitlin Clark..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  77. ^ Davis, Alexis (June 16, 2023). "The Sneaker Industry Plans To Right Wrongs With WNBA Signature Shoe Deals". Front Office Sports. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  78. ^ @StatMamba (September 1, 2024). "A'ja Wilson today" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  79. ^ @LVAces (June 27, 2024). "20 for 22...With her 20th point, @_ajawilson22 has extended her @WNBA record for most consecutive 20-point regular season games to 20-straight games 👏" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  80. ^ Baer, Jack (June 14, 2024). "Aces' A'ja Wilson breaks WNBA record with eighth straight 25-point game". Yahoo Sports.
  81. ^ @TheAthletic (June 21, 2024). "Most consecutive games with 20+ PTS and 8+ REB in WNBA history" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  82. ^ @bball_ref (July 8, 2024). "A'ja Wilson has 540 total points through 20 games" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  83. ^ "A'ja Wilson ties WNBA record with 53 points in Aces' win". ESPN. August 22, 2023.
  84. ^ @WNBA (September 11, 2024). "941 PTS in 2024 and counting..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  85. ^ Lawson-Freeman, Callie (July 7, 2024). "Aces star sets franchise record in win against Wings". Las Vegas Review-Journal.
  86. ^ Escarpio, Max (June 29, 2024). "A'ja Wilson Earns Franchise Record With Las Vegas Aces". Athlon Sports.
  87. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "A'ja Wilson - Women's Basketball". University of South Carolina Athletics. May 7, 2014. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  88. ^ "A'ja Wilson picks up Honda Sport Award for basketball". ABC Columbia. April 12, 2018. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  89. ^ "A'ja Wilson of South Carolina Named Honda Sport Award Winner for Basketball". CWSA. April 12, 2018. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
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