A’ja Wilson’s alma mater is retiring her jersey, marking the end of a historic year for the Aces star forward.
The 28-year-old will be recognized by South Carolina in a pregame ceremony at Colonial Life Arena on Feb. 2, as announced by the school on Tuesday.
The announcement on Oct. 22 and the ceremony date of 2/2 both pay tribute to Wilson’s No. 22, which she wore in college and still wears for the Aces.
South Carolina shared a video on Tuesday featuring Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley delivering the news to Wilson. This call happened the same week Wilson won her third WNBA MVP award on Sept. 22, according to the Aces.
Time for us to give @_ajawilson22 her 💐 See you on 2’2
📰 https://t.co/SdF9ZeuAb0🎟️ https://t.co/KGGTVLcA2V pic.twitter.com/Zw22eaSGbn
— South Carolina Women’s Basketball (@GamecockWBB) October 22, 2024
“You’re going to win MVP, you’re going to be in the first team (All) WNBA. Around these parts in South Carolina, you’re always going to get No. 1 votes,” Staley said. “So when you coming to see us? We need a date. We need a date because your jersey is going to be retired.”
This season has seen several emotional calls between Wilson and Staley. Staley also informed Wilson in August that she had won the WNBA’s Dawn Staley Community Leadership Award.
The retirement of her jersey adds to the many accolades Wilson has received this season.
She led Team USA to a gold medal during the WNBA’s Olympic break in July and set league records for points and rebounds upon her return to the Aces.
Her impressive season began at Colonial Life Arena, where the Aces played their only preseason game following the announcement of Wilson having a Nike signature shoe in the works.
Wilson already has an 11-foot bronze statue outside Colonial Life Arena, erected in 2021 to honor her exceptional collegiate career.
Her contributions to helping the Gamecocks secure their first national championship in 2017 and becoming the program’s all-time leading scorer with 2,389 points are unforgettable.
Wilson, the first No. 1 recruit in South Carolina’s history, made history again as the first player to be selected first overall in the 2018 WNBA draft.
The Columbia, South Carolina, native holds 22 program records and is ranked 22nd in NCAA history for having played 122 career games with at least 10 points.
In a humorous turn, Wilson chose No. 22 as a young player because she believed she wasn’t good enough to wear No. 23, famously worn by Michael Jordan and LeBron James.
No South Carolina player has worn the number since she graduated in 2018, as there is a five-year waiting period for retired jerseys at South Carolina.
Contact Callie Fin at cfin@reviewjournal.com. Follow @CallieJLaw on X
