"She will call me about my outfits if my skirt's too short": A'ja Wilson explains how Dawn Staley became her "second mom" in college

A’ja Wilson and Dawn Staley enjoyed great success during their time together in South Carolina. The duo led the South Carolina Gamecocks to their first-ever NCAA Tournament title in 2017.

On “The Roommates Show” hosted by New York Knicks stars Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart, Wilson talked about her relationship with Staley. The Las Vegas Aces star said her bond with Staley remains strong even after graduating from South Carolina.

"She’s literally like my second mom. She will call me about my outfits if my skirt's too short, if she feels I need to do something about my hair, or if I’m not looking up to par. She’ll let me know that all the time, so it didn’t really stop after college, which I love, and it has been going ever since."

Wilson also shed light on how her basketball relationship with Staley started.

"I made the junior national team, and she was the coach of our U-18 team. This was before I committed to South Carolina, and we just became really cool."

Wilson said Staley's belief in her prompted her to join South Carolina in the end.

"She really wanted the best out of me. She saw potential, and I just kind of always loved that—the loyalty that she showed and the honesty that she had with me. When it was time to go to college, she was the best fit. I always say Coach Staley could have been in Alaska, and I probably would have went to Alaska."

A'ja Wilson and Dawn Staley ended South Carolina's NCAA title drought

South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley greets forward A'ja Wilson (22) on the sidelines after being taken out of the game against Connecticut in the 2018 NCAA Tournament. Photo: Imagn

Under Dawn Staley, A'ja Wilson helped end the school's long title drought, scoring 23 points in the national championship game against Mississippi State in 2017. She was later named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament.

Success continued for Wilson and Staley after they parted ways. Wilson is a three-time WNBA MVP and a two-time WNBA champion with the Las Vegas Aces. She was named WNBA Finals MVP in 2023.

Staley, on the other hand, led the Gamecocks to two more NCAA titles, capturing the top prize in 2022 and 2024.

South Carolina coach Dawn Staley cuts down the net after leading the Gamecocks to the 2024 NCAA Tournament title. Photo: Imagn

Wilson was also a part of Team USA, coached by Staley, which won the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.