Who is A’ja Wilson? She is one of America’s most prolific and successful female basketball players. She has achieved immense success in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) and with USA Basketball. From winning championships, collecting individual accolades and making history as the first black woman to have a signature Nike basketball shoe, A’One, A’ja is a legend. We revisit her career from where it started to where she is today.
A’ja Wilson’s Early Life
A’ja Wilson, whose full name is A’ja Riyadh Wilson, was born on 8 August 1996, in Columbia, South Carolina. Her name A’ja is from her father’s favorite song, Aja by Steely Dan, and Riyadh references the Saudi City.
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A’ja was born to her father, Roscoe C. Wilson Jr., and her mother, Eva Rakes Wilson. Her father is a former professional basketballer and her mother worked as a court stenographer. She isn’t the only child. The basketballer has one older brother, Renaldo.
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Education and the Beginning of Her Basketball Career
The basketballer attended Heathwood Hall Episcopal School and the University of South Carolina. While she admits she wasn’t the best basketballer at a young age, she was a star in high school.
Out of the 119 games played, A’ja averaged 24.7 points, 4.3 blocks per game and 13.9 rebounds. In her senior year, she led Heathwood to the State Championship and was named the High School Player of the Year in 2014. She also made it to the McDonald’s All-American.
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College Career
After her success in high school, A’ja Wilson joined the University of California. She hit the ground running, setting records and earning recognition as the Freshman of the Year. The following year, Wilson proved that her first year wasn’t a fluke.
The center was named the SEC Player of the Year. Her performances were pivotal in the team’s run to the tournament championship. In the next season, she replicated her performance and this time, led the Gamecocks to the first national championship in 2017.
She won the Most Outstanding Player award. Wilson bowed out of college basketball on a high. A’ja won all the accolades on the national level and finished as the school’s top scorer.
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Professional Career
With her success at university, A’ja was destined to join the WNBA. In the 2018 WNBA draft, A’ja was the first-round, first-overall pick for the Las Vegas Aces. So far, she’s had a successful time on court with the Vegas. From scoring 14 points on her debut to a career-high 53 points, leading the league in blocked shots thrice, she has proven to be a dependable player for her team.
After 4 years after joining the league, A’ja won her first WNBA Championship in 2022. As she has been throughout her career, Wilson contributed to this victory. She averaged 19.5 points and 9.4 rebounds and scored 17-17 doubles, the most in the league. This won her the Defensive Player of the Year and the Most Valuable Player awards.
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Second WNBA Championship
Following her first championship, Wilson extended her stay with the Las Vegas Aces. It was another successful year as she helped the Aces to another WNBA Championship. She averaged 22.8 points and 9.5 rebounds per game in the regular season, and 23.8 points and 11.8 rebounds in the WNBA Finals. Consequently, she won the WNBA Finals MVP.
National Team Career
A’ja Wilson replicated her league form in the national team. With USA Basketball, the center enjoyed as much success, winning gold medals at the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Additionally, she has also won the World Cup twice, in Spain in 2018 and in Australia in 2022.
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Business Interests
Away from the court, A’ja Wilson is also making great strides. When she began her professional career in 2018, she signed with Nike. After her enormous success, Nike announced she would have a signature shoe line named A’One. This made her the first black woman and 13th WNBA player to achieve this feat.
Additionally, Wilson has an endorsement deal with Mountain Dew, Ruffles and Gatorade. Apart from her business endorsement, Wilson runs her luxury candle business, Burnt Wax Candle Company.
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A’ja Wilson Awards & Achievements
- 2024: Best Female Athlete ESPY Award
- 2024, 2023: 2x Best WNBA Player ESPY Award
- 2023: WNBA Finals Most Valuable Player
- 2023, 2022: WNBA Defensive Player of the Year
- 2022, 2020: WNBA Most Valuable Player
- 2018: WNBA Rookie of the Year
- 2018: Consensus National Player of the Year
Who is A’ja Wilson? We hope this article gives you a detailed view of who the American basketball star is. She is one of the most consistent WNBA and USA basketball players. Additionally, she is breaking barriers outside sports, gaining valuable business partnerships, that improve her overall standing in and outside it. Share your thoughts about A’ja Wilson in the comments.
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