A’ja Wilson is one of the most important players in the South Carolina Gamecocks women’s basketball history. The 2017 NCAA Champion was coached by Dawn Staley, and years later, their relationship is still going strong.
Wilson has been lighting up the WNBA recently, putting up big numbers and gunning for another MVP title. For the game against the Washington Mystics, she pulled up to the arena wearing a white Nike t-shirt with a special message on it.
The tee read, “7.1.26.” Fans are speculating that this might be related to the collaboration project Wilson and Nike are reportedly doing with South Carolina women’s basketball. Wilson’s outfit also caught Staley’s attention after Bakari Sellers made a hilarious comment.
“Hey @_ajawilson22 y’all got any full length, if not don’t worry, I’ll wear the crop top to the @GamecockFB game next week? Cc: @dawnstaley,” he wrote.
The veteran coach had a good laugh over it and responded with:
“🤣🤣🤣 crazy!!!”
🤣🤣🤣 crazy!!! https://t.co/m0M2j4oeP6
— dawnstaley (@dawnstaley) August 23, 2025
If the project being teased is really about Wilson x Nike, then it’s a great thing for the program. Wilson has one of the most popular basketball shoes on the market right now. While she has to wait for a long time to get that, it has truly been worth the wait.
As for Wilson’s performance in the WNBA this season, dominant would be an understatement. In the last 10 games, she is averaging 27 points per game. More importantly, the Aces are on a 10-game winning streak because of her performances.
Her season average currently stands at 23.2 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 3.1 assists in 34 games. She is averaging nearly 50% from the field. Only weeks ago, Wilson was not being considered a frontrunner for this season’s MVP title.
However, she has completely turned everything around and is now on track to win her fourth career MVP title.
Becky Hammon makes a strong MVP case for A’ja Wilson
Napheesa Collier is currently leading the race for MVP in 2025. She is still being considered a heavy favorite for the honor. But looking at the streak Wilson is on and the impact she is making on her team and the overall season rankings, it won’t be surprising if she ends up bagging the MVP title.
Aces head coach Becky Hammon is convinced that there’s no one in the league better than the 29-year-old. During a press conference on Saturday, she said:
“I think anytime a media person has to ask a question, ‘Who’s as good as A’ja Wilson?’ That’s where you start with the conversation. That’s your answer.”
“She’s top three in every major statistical category, but most importantly, efficiency. She’s No.1 in efficiency. And to me, people need to do that kind of homework. Don’t just look, ‘Okay, she scored more points than anybody else, she has more rebounds than anybody else,’ Like all that stuff is great, but she does it efficiently.”
Becky Hammon on why A’ja should be MVP. pic.twitter.com/BISRpqjGJ6
— Kareem Copeland (@kareemcopeland) August 23, 2025
Read More:
Dawn Staley Jokes About ‘Coming Out of Retirement’ After Lacing Up A’ja Wilson’s A’Ones
Dawn Staley’s Former Star A’ja Wilson Shares 3-Word Reaction Following South Carolina HoF Honors
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