money How South Carolina inspired A'ja Wilson in WNBA championship victory with Las Vegas Aces
A'ja Wilson could hardly make it through an answer at the postgame press conference after the Las Vegas Aces secured the first WNBA championship in the organization's history. The former South Carolina basketball star couldn't wipe the giddy smile off of her face as a champagne bottle sat beside her microphone.
The Aces beat the Connecticut Sun 78-71 on Sunday at Mohegan Sun Arena to win the championship series 3-1.
"This is amazing," Wilson said. "I can't even talk. We're champs. We're champs! I'm so happy right now, oh my God."
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Wilson, who was named the 2022 WNBA MVP and defensive player of the year, averaged a double-double in the postseason with 11 points, 14 rebounds, two steals and two blocks per game. During the regular season, Wilson averaged 19.5 points and 9.4 rebounds per game.
Wilson had a historic career at South Carolina, leading the Gamecocks to their first NCAA championship in 2017. She is the most decorated athlete in school history in any sport and was unanimously named national player of the year as a senior in 2018. In 2021, South Carolina installed a statue of Wilson outside of Colonial Life Arena.
The Columbia native paid tribute to her roots after her first WNBA title.
"If I can put South Carolina on the map, every chance I get I will," Wilson said. "That city built me, it's raised me, and I know my grandma and grandpa are somewhere shining down on me, because they heard their prayers. They've seen me cry. They've been through those moments ... This one's for South Carolina, this one's for my grandma."
Wilson also got to celebrate with her parents on the court after the final buzzer, and she choked up reflecting on the importance of sharing that moment with them.
"My parents have sacrificed so much for me to be where I am today," Wilson said. "My mom was like, 'I'm not gonna have no job when I get back because I've been here.' She hasn't been to work since I don't know when. It's something special. They instilled something within me and they've seen the potential in me before I even saw it in myself."
Wilson was drafted No. 1 overall in the 2018 WNBA draft by the Aces and won rookie of the year that season. She is a four-time WNBA All-Star and has led the Aces to four consecutive appearances in the conference finals.
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: How South Carolina inspired A'ja Wilson in WNBA championship victory
