By Zahra Bokhari

AAU is proud to honor AAU alumna, WNBA super-star, Olympic gold medalist, and New York Times best-selling author A’ja Wilson for this week’s Black History Month Spotlight. Her leadership, compassion, and authenticity make her a true role model for women everywhere.

Wilson was born on August 8,1996. She attended grade school and high school at Heathwood Hall Episcopal School in Columbia, South Carolina where she was born and raised. Before she was becoming a dominate force at the highest level, A’ja got her start at AAU Basketball tournaments. She played AAU Girls Basketball from 2008 to 2013 where she began to find a love for the sport. After playing AAU Girls Basketball, Wilson played 119 varsity high school games, earning a sport on the team as an eighth grader. Throughout her high school career, she played as a forward and averaged a whopping 24.7 points per game.

In Wilson’s senior year of high school, she brought her team to the 2014 South Carolina state championship. That same year she was awarded 2014 National High School Player of the Year, McDonald’s All-American, and the #1 ESPN HoopGurlz Prospect as a result of her hard-
work and determination.

These accolades and the work earned her a Division 1 scholarship to the University of South Carolina. In her college career she won SEC Freshman of the Year (2015), SEC Player of the Year (2015), Lisa Leslie Award (2018), AP Player of the Year (2018), Honda Sports Award (2018), Naismith College Player of the Year (2018), John R. Wooden Award (2018), and more. She finished her time at South Carolina as the all-time leading scorer in the program’s history. Her impact was so profound that in February 2025, South Carolina retired her jersey.

"As I look in the rafters and see my jersey, I am reminded how important it is to chase your dreams without fear,” says Wilson, reflecting on her journey after seeing her jersey retired.

Her career in the WBNA began in 2018, when she was selected as the first overall pick by the Las Vegas Aces. Her talents were easily recognized as she went on to be named WNBA Rookie of the Year and became an All-Star in her first season.

7 years later, she is still considered one of the top stars in the league. In 2024, she became the first unanimously voted Most Valuable Player in the WNBA. In the 2024-2025 season, she has become the only WNBA player of all time to score 1,000 points in a single season. Wilson has been leaving her mark by cementing her legacy early on as one of the greatest to ever play the game.

Wilson has also excelled on the international level as she competed for Team USA in the 2020 and 2024 Summer Olympics, where she was named FIBA’s All-Star Five both years and earned the FIBA Women’s Olympic MVP title in 2024. She played a crucial role in securing gold medals for Team USA in both tournaments.

Off the court, Wilson’s impact is just as strong. In 2020, she was named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list, and in 2024, she was recognized by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world.

That same year, she made history as the first WNBA player to be featured on a global edition of NBA 2K25 and published her first book, Dear Black Girls which became a New York Times best seller.

Her book is an unapologetically personal read through the hardships and challenges she’s faced throughout her career. Wilson’s goal was to touch the hearts of young Black woman especially by showing them that they are not alone. By publishing this book, she made other women who look like her feel seen and supported.

In terms of philanthropy, Wilson’s work does not fall short. Youth development has been a strong topic of motivation for her off the court.

Wilson and her parents, Roscoe and Eva Wilson, founded the A’ja Wilson Foundation in 2019 as a resource to empower children and their families who struggle with dyslexia and to change bullying in education by providing mentoring and empowering students to incorporate compassion and inclusivity in school environments.

Wilson was diagnosed with dyslexia during her sophomore year of high school. As a woman in sports and a black woman in general, finding resources to guide her to success was a challenge. She aims to break the stigmas and help young students find the support she did
not have.

The A’ja Wilson Foundation’s mission is to create a future where every child feels valued, supported, and empowered to succeed. The culture Wilson has built is an embodiment of the passionate, loving, and respectable person she is. Her goal is to empower individuals, especially those with learning disabilities, and show them that the right resources and opportunities can aid in achieving greatness.

Serving as a trailblazer for Black women in sports, A’ja Wilson continuously serves as an inspiration and source of empowerment within the Black community. After spending five years shaping her basketball skills at AAU, Wilson went on to become one of the most influential names in women’s sports. #ItAllStartsHere.