Dawn Staley Says She Was Prepared if A’ja Wilson Left During Her Freshman Season
South Carolina has become a powerhouse program in women’s college basketball under legendary head coach Dawn Staley, who recently led the Gamecocks to their second national championship in a 64–49 victory against UConn on April 3.
But before Staley became a two-time champion, powered by the play of women’s college basketball’s Player of the Year Aliyah Boston, the South Carolina legend earned the program’s first title in 2017 with current WNBA star A’ja Wilson.
In today’s landscape—which includes the transfer portal along with the rising popularity of name, image and likeness deals—players are quick to transfer when they are not getting the opportunity they feel that they deserve within a program.
There are more than 1,140 players in the current women’s basketball portal. Two years before Wilson led to Gamecocks to a national title, Staley made Wilson come off the bench her freshman season, even though she was coming off of a very decorated high school career in Heathwood Hall High School
On Thursday, Wilson stated jokingly that she was ready to leave South Carolina during her first season and had a strong backup plan not too far from Columbia, South Carolina.
“My freshman yr I wanted to DIP !!! already had my next choice of school,” Wilson tweeted.
Had Wilson left, the former consensus 2018 National Player of the Year said she was taking her talents 231 miles north to North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “I was gonna be a tarheel,” Wilson tweeted in response to Staley jokingly saying she had a replacement lined up.
Even if Wilson truly wanted to leave, that was not going to happen if her mother Eva had anything to do with it, Staley pointed out. Eva Wilson confirmed as much.
Luckily for the Gamecocks, Wilson did not leave and Staley did not have to go find her replacement. But the hilarious exchange between two leads one to wonder: Was Wilson ever truly going to leave South Carolina? Most would probably assume no, especially given the close relationship that Staley and Wilson have.
The fact that she stayed is great news for South Carolina. A second championship for Staley would not be possible without the first, and Wilson was crucial in winning the first in the program’s history, and establishing the program as a powerhouse.
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