Las Vegas Aces superstar A’ja Wilson, a two-time WNBA champion, didn’t ascend to basketball greatness overnight. Her collegiate career began with a rocky start at South Carolina—one so underwhelming that her Hall of Fame coach, Dawn Staley, still remembers it vividly.
During a recent appearance on The Breakfast Club, Staley recounted Wilson’s forgettable debut in 2014, where the then-top prospect scored just four points on 2-of-7 shooting.
“She started her debut, and it was terrible,” Staley said bluntly, even labeling the performance “scrub-like.” The showing left Wilson’s own family questioning her readiness. “Her mom was like, ‘Ugh…’,” Staley added, mimicking the collective frustration.
Faced with criticism for benching a highly touted recruit, Staley made a bold move: she removed Wilson from the starting lineup. But first, she consulted Wilson’s mother.
“Her mom was like, ‘You sure?’” Staley recalled. “I said, ‘You’re gonna have to trust me on this one.’”
The gamble paid off. Demoted to a bench role, Wilson quickly found her rhythm, scoring in double figures over her next 14 games—including a breakout 23-point performance against Savannah State. By season’s end, she claimed National Rookie of the Year, First-Team All-SEC, and SEC Freshman of the Year honors.
“She got all the accolades coming off the bench,” Staley emphasized.
Staley’s mentorship didn’t stop there. She pushed Wilson with “tough love” to prepare her for the spotlight. “She needed to be roughed up a little,” Staley admitted. The results were undeniable: Wilson led South Carolina to its first NCAA title in 2017 and earned SEC Player of the Year honors in 2018.
Reflecting on Wilson’s journey, Staley credits trust and resilience.
“Now she handles every critic,” the coach said proudly. “Because we took her through fire.”
Wilson’s evolution—from a shaky freshman to a generational talent—stands as a testament to Staley’s coaching instincts and a mother’s leap of faith.
