"Love you A": Dawn Staley has a 'heal up' message for A'ja Wilson after Aces star sustains ankle injury

South Carolina coach Dawn Staley has been the biggest supporter of Las Vegas Aces star A'ja Wilson. The former Gamecocks center had been on a historic run this season in the WNBA, averaging 27.3 points, 11.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.7 steals.

However, A'ja Wilson's incredible performance hit a stop as she sustained a right ankle on Friday against the Connecticut Sun. She was out for Sunday's game against the New York Liberty but was on the sidelines cheering for the Aces.

The Las Vegas team shared pictures of Wilson arriving at the game on X, and coach Dawn Staley reacted to it.

"I couldn’t even pull this off like the @_ajawilson22! Love you A! Heal up soon!! 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾," Staley wrote.

A'ja Wilson and Dawn Staley also shared a hug courtside as the Gamecocks coach was in attendance. The matchup between the Aces and Liberty was a huge crowd-puller as fans got a chance to revisit the 2024 WNBA finals.

Some other famous faces on the sidelines were Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Paige Bueckers, Azzi Fudd and Dereck Lively II.

The New York Liberty took home the win 75-71 in front of their home crowd. The victory did not come easy as the Aces fought back, coming back from a 20-point deficit, thanks to Kelsey Plum and last-minute efforts from Sydney Colson.

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Dawn Staley and the South Carolina Gamecocks set to visit the White House

After winning the 2024 NCAA championship, Dawn Staley and her team are set to visit the White House. Scheduled for Sept. 10 at 11 a.m. ET, the Gamecocks will celebrate their title wins with President Joe Biden.

In a separate event on the same day, President Biden will also meet with the men's champions, UConn Huskies.

This was Staley's third NCAA championship after leading the Gamecocks to similar wins in 2017 and 2022. However, this 2023-24 run was special as South Carolina became the fifth team in NCAA history to take the title with an undefeated season run (38-0).

"They weren't going to be denied," Staley said after the win (via ESPN). "It doesn't always end like you want it to end. I'm just super proud of where I work. It's unbelievable."

For the upcoming season, the Gamecocks are favorites to successfully defend the title. Staley has retained most of her championship-winning roster, besides Kamilla Cardoso, who left for the WNBA.

What are your predictions for the South Carolina Gamecocks in the upcoming season? Let us know in the comments section below.