Thursday night at Colonial Life Arena was a special one — and not just because it was the final home game of the regular season. Before the game against LSU, the women's basketball team honored its two outgoing seniors, including one of the most iconic players in program history.
Four years ago, Hopkins, South Carolina, native A'ja Wilson made the decision to stay home and play for Dawn Staley and the South Carolina Gamecocks. The five-star recruit and No. 1 overall player in the country had the opportunity to play for some of the top programs, but knew she wanted to stay home.
"Just to know, you know, that the decision that I made four years ago was a good decision," Wilson said. "It was a good decision. A lot of people were in my ear during that time: 'Why South Carolina? Why go there?' And just to come here and to prove the things that we've proved and to believe in Coach Staley and her staff and to have played with such great teammates, it was great."
Since then, Wilson has grown immensely as both a player and a leader for the Gamecocks. She's led South Carolina in some of its most successful years, including a National Championship run in 2017. She also helped the Gamecocks clinch three consecutive SEC regular season titles and three straight SEC Tournament titles.
She's become one of the most decorated players in Gamecock history, and currently stands as the second all-time scorer in program history. She's been a finalist for numerous national honors and been picked All-American First Team for multiple polls the past two years. The impact she's had on the court is hard to match, but Staley knows that it's more important that she's become a strong leader.
"With A'ja, because she saw so many leaders prior to her becoming a captain and a leader on our basketball team, she knows exactly what to do," Staley said. "And her leadership style is a little bit different 'cause I think she relates to the younger ones and the older ones."
The impact that Wilson has made here in Columbia hasn't gone unnoticed. During the senior ceremony, Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin gave Wilson a key to the city and declared Feb. 22 "A'ja Wilson Day." She also got huge cheers from the crowd during the ceremony and the game, when she subbed out for the final time and as time expired. Wilson could tell that she's left her mark on the fans at South Carolina.
"The tweets, the Instagram posts, the Snapchats, people hitting me up, everything was just amazing," Wilson said of her senior night festivities. "It was just a lot of fun ... I really just want to say thank you to everyone honestly so, it was a big day."
Wilson still has the opportunity to leave one final legacy before she leaves South Carolina. The Gamecocks have clinched the No. 2 seed at the SEC Tournament, and Friday will play the winner of Thursday's Tennessee-Auburn matchup. They'll look to repeat being SEC Tournament champions, and then put up a fight in the NCAA Tournament. Although time is winding down, Staley knows she still has time left with her star.
"I know we have a lot more basketball to play with A'ja," Staley said. "And probably that moment when it's her last game, I'll probably get pretty emotional, because I just think that when a player has had that kind of impact on you personally and on this program, you get a little emotional because you may not get another player like that ever. And I don't know if we'll ever get one that complete."