A'ja Wilson
A'ja Wilson was born in Hopkins, South Carolina, United States on August 8th, 1996 and is the Basketball Player. At the age of 27, A'ja Wilson biography, profession, age, height, weight, eye color, hair color, build, measurements, education, career, dating/affair, family, news updates, and networth are available.
At 27 years old, A'ja Wilson has this physical status:
A'ja Riyadh Wilson (born August 8, 1996) is an American professional basketball player for the Women's National Basketball Association's Las Vegas Aces (WNBA).
Wilson played for the South Carolina Gamecocks in college and helped the Gamecocks win their first NCAA Women's Basketball Championship in 2017, winning the NCAA Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player award.
She was drafted first overall by the Aces in the 2018 WNBA Draft.
She earned her third straight SEC Player of the Year award, led South Carolina to a record fourth straight SEC Tournament Championship, and was a consensus first-team All-American for the third straight season.
Wilson received all National Player of the Year awards (Wade, AP, Honda, USBWA, Wooden, and Naismith) in Women's College basketball for 2018.
Personal life
Wilson was born to Roscoe Jr. and Eva Wilson. Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me! On NPR's Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! Steely Dani's "Aja" was named after her father's favorite song, "Aja." Riyadh, the middle name of Aja's maternal aunt, was deployed in Operation Desert Storm. Although her father played basketball competitively in Europe for ten years, her mother had a court stenographer service, when her father played basketball competitively in Europe for ten years. Roscoe's older brother also played competitive basketball in the United States. Wilson attended grade school and high school as one of the few black students in Heathwood Hall Episcopal School, a private school in southern Columbia.
Wilson is a Christian. She grew up in a Christian family and her grandfather was a minister.
She attended the University of South Carolina majoring in Mass Communications after graduating from high school in 2014. She was a basketball forward for the Gamecocks. She spent her senior year in South Carolina. Wilson is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.
Wilson appeared on "Home" at the Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 2019. The roster was made up of celebrities with roots in Carolina.
Wilson founded Burnt Wax Candle Company and established the A'ja Wilson Foundation, which promotes bullying and education of dyslexia. She is a member of the Minnesota Lynx's social justice committee and hosts a podcast with Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier. Wilson names Nike and Mountain Dew as sponsors and has been named on Forbes' 2021 30 Under 30 list.
College career
Wilson played in 37 games her freshman year, leading to four single-game freshman records in the SEC and three single-season freshman records in the SEC, and won the SEC Freshman of the year award. In 2016 as a sophomore, Wilson would win her first SEC Player of the year award and was a consensus All-American, Wilson led the Gamecocks to a SEC regular season and Tournament Championship. In 2017, Wilson once again led the Gamecocks to a SEC regular season and Tournament championship, and went on to win the school's first National Championship with a stirring victory over the Mississippi State Bulldogs in the championship game. She was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament. In 2018, Wilson had her best season statistically, and won all of the National player of the year awards. She won a record 3rd straight SEC Player of the Year award, and was also a Consensus All-American for the third straight year. Wilson finished her college career at South Carolina as the all-time leading scorer for the school.
On January 18, 2021, as part of the university's observance of Martin Luther King Day, a statue of Wilson was dedicated near the main entrance to Carolina's basketball home of Colonial Life Arena. In a Zoom call during the ceremony, Wilson noted:
Professional career
In 2018, Wilson was drafted first overall by the Las Vegas Aces. On May 20, 2018, in her career debut, Wilson scored 14 points along with 10 rebounds in a 101–65 loss to the Connecticut Sun. On June 12, 2018, Wilson scored a career-high of 35 points along with 13 rebounds in a 101–92 overtime victory against the Indiana Fever, becoming the second rookie in league history to score 35 points and grab 10 rebounds. Wilson would be voted into the 2018 WNBA All-Star Game. Later on in the season, Wilson would be named the WNBA Rookie of the Year. She was tied for third in scoring. Her season performance almost led the Aces to the playoffs as they finished 9th place with a 14–20 record.
On June 29, 2019, Wilson scored a new career-high 39 points in a 102–97 overtime victory against the Indiana Fever. In July, Wilson suffered an ankle injury that kept her out for 4 weeks, causing her to miss the 2019 WNBA All-Star Game. She made her return in mid-August. By the end of the season, the Aces finished with a 21–13 record and the number 4 seed, receiving a bye to the second round, helping the franchise get back to the playoffs for the first time since 2014. In the second round elimination game, the Aces defeated the Chicago Sky 93–92 in a thriller game, where teammate Dearica Hamby came up with a steal and nailed the game-winning three from half-court with 4-second left. However, in the semi-finals, the Aces would lose in four games to the Washington Mystics, who would go on to win the 2019 WNBA championship.
In the 2020 season, the Aces were championship contenders. The season was delayed and shortened to 22 games in a bubble at IMG Academy due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With her all-star teammate Liz Cambage sitting out the season due to health concerns, Wilson carried the team by putting up peak numbers, the Aces finishing the season 18-4 and the number 1 seed, receiving a double bye to the semi-finals. In the semi-finals, the Aces would defeat the Connecticut Sun in a hard-fought five-game series, advancing to the Finals for the second time in franchise history (first since relocating to Las Vegas); however with a shorthanded roster against a fully loaded Seattle Storm team, the Aces would be defeated in a three-game sweep. Wilson would end up winning the MVP award for the 2020 season.
In 2022, Wilson would win her second MVP and first Defensive Player of the Year award, averaging 19.5 points, 9.4 rebounds and 1.9 blocks while leading the league with 17 double-doubles. Wilson helped propel the Aces to their second finals appearance in three seasons, where they would defeat the Connecticut Sun in four games, giving Wilson her first championship.
In August 2018, Wilson signed with the Shaanxi Red Wolves of the Women's Chinese Basketball Association for the 2018–19 off-season.
Career statistics
Source: College statistics courtesy of NCAA Statistics