Former South Carolina Gamecocks stalwart and now Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson once opened up about her “villain” role in both college basketball and now professionally. Back in October of last year, reporter Tyler Tynes published an article on ESPN which dives deep into Wilson from her career, off-court life, background and upbringing, mentalities and more.
In one part of the feature, Wilson was asked about the villain role she played back in her collegiate basketball days with coach Dawn Staley and the Gamecocks. For Wilson, she accepted that role back then and has since brought that same mindset into her professional career in the WNBA. This mindset, Wilson says, is what helped her and coach Becky Hammon’s squad secure their third championship back in 2023.
“It’s a quote on our jumbotron. ‘You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain.’ That is like us. They hail us, they hail us, they hail us, then they nail us and nail us, nail us. Sometimes you have no choice but to be like, ‘F**k it, this is what y’all do to me. Let’s rock. Let me show y’all exactly how we get down and never shake from that.’ So, you just find beauty in it,” Wilson was quoted as saying.
“If we got to be the villains and that gets us a third championship, call me the Joker. I am here ready to take on that role. We’re going to always be the villain,” she added.
Wilson is currently in her eighth year in the league in the 2025 WNBA season, all of which has been spent with coach Becky Hammon’s Las Vegas team. Currently, Wilson and the Aces have churned out a record of 20-14 thus far, and are sitting as the second seed in the Western Conference. Their next game will be against the Dallas Wings on Sunday, Aug. 17, on their home floor as they look to get win No. 21.
A’ja Wilson Led the South Carolina Gamecocks To Its First Ever National Title
Under the tutelage of coach Dawn Staley, A’ja Wilson spearheaded the South Carolina Gamecocks to its first national title in program history back in the 2017 NCAA tournament. They won the national championship after defeating the Mississippi State Bulldogs by 12 points, 67-55, with Wilson leading the way to win the Most Outstanding Player honors after she put up a game-high 23 points, 10 rebounds, two steals and four blocks.
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