Las Vegas Aces' A'ja Wilson honored with statue at University of South Carolina

(KTNV) — WNBA All-Star A'ja Wilson was honored today at her alma mater, the University of South Carolina, with the unveiling ceremony of a statue of her likeness.

Before she was the WNBA's #1 draft pick for the Las Vegas Aces, a 2 time WNBA All-Star and 2020 WNBA Most Valuable Player, A'ja Wilson was a South Carolina Gamecock.

Her list of accomplishments as an NCAA basketball player is endless, including leading the South Carolina team to a national title in 2017.

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Wilson becomes only the 3rd person honored with a statue on the university's campus and the first woman to have the honor.

"A'ja was a powerful force in our program, our campus and our community through everything that she accomplished on the court and the person she was off it," Gamecocks Head Coach Dawn Staley said. "This statue in front of this arena is an equally powerful force. Every young person, and especially young black girls, can see what is possible through hard work, passion and dedication."

During the ceremony, Wilson reflected on the history of the moment.

Her grandmother, Hattie Rakes, grew up near the university campus and due to segregation was not allowed to even walk on the campus grounds.

Wilson saying "if only she was here today, to see that the same grounds she had to walk around, it now is the same ground that houses a statue of her granddaughter."