COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Reigning WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson stood at center court of Colonial Life Arena on Sunday, her hand on her heart and her parents' arms wrapped around her.
All three of them looked up to the rafters as a lone spotlight shined on her collegiate No. 22 jersey being unveiled and officially retired by South Carolina.
Wilson gently shook as tears rolled down her face.
According to the University of South Carolina's athletic department policy, just because a jersey is retired doesn't mean the number is. Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley, however, made it clear: No one in an SC uniform will ever wear No. 22 again.
"South Carolina shaped me, not just as an athlete but as a person," Wilson said. "As I look in the rafters and see my jersey, I am reminded how important it is to chase your dreams without fear."
The resume Wilson built during her four years at South Carolina is long, and one Staley views as incomparable. The program's first four-time All-American and the 2018 unanimous national player of the year, Wilson helped lead the Gamecocks to their first national title in 2017, its first Women's Final Four in 2015, four SEC tournaments and three SEC regular-season titles.
She became the first player in league history to win SEC Player of the Year three times.
Individually, Wilson is the program's all-time leading scorer with 2,389 points.
"There is no one more deserving than this weekend with A'ja," Staley said Saturday. "She legitimized our program. She took it to another level and we still feel her legacy to this day. Everybody still talks about her contributions to this program. Everyone is always comparing what her impact was when she was a student-athlete here, and that's what legacy is."
South Carolina requires a five-year waiting period before an athlete gets their jersey retired, which begins at the conclusion of their final year at the school.
Staley asked if they could shorten that time frame for Wilson. While the answer to that was no, the university did build a statue of her in 2021 -- a plan they announced when Wilson graduated in 2018.
"It was almost a prelude to today," Staley said. "If we couldn't retire her jersey, what better way than to put a statue out in front."
When Wilson's statue was unveiled, it was still during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Fans weren't allowed to attend. There was no ceremony. Wilson spoke with reporters over Zoom.
For her jersey retirement, there was a sellout crowd. The players wore black warmup shirts with the No. 22 on the back. Wilson danced around the court following the conclusion of the ceremony, posing for photos with fans and the current Gamecocks team.
"I am super blessed to be able to see my jersey being hung from the rafters in my home," Wilson said Saturday. "To be able to have everyone come it and enjoy the moment, I can share the moment with everyone."
Added Staley: "I don't think it could happen at a more appropriate time with her being the best player in the world, with her having the type of success she's had. She's given our program another platform."
The No. 1 overall pick in 2018, Wilson has won two WNBA titles with the Las Vegas Aces and three league MVP awards -- her most recent was unanimous. She also won her second gold medal last summer at the Paris Olympics with Team USA.
A native of Hopkins, South Carolina, just outside of Columbia, Wilson was the Gamecocks' first No. 1 recruit.
Since her time at South Carolina, the Gamecocks' women's basketball program has gone on to win two more NCAA titles (2022 and 2024), won 43 consecutive SEC games (February 2024) and became just the 10th team in Division I history to complete an undefeated season.
"I never would have imagined this," Wilson said. "I just came here wanting to win, wanting to be a sponge of it all. So, to see the legacy, the longevity of this program and where it's going, I beam."
