What did A'ja Wilson wear to her jersey retirement ceremony? Former Gamecock icon arrives in style

WNBA star A'ja Wilson arrived at Colonial Life Arena in style for the retirement of her iconic No.22 jersey. A series of Instagram photos by the Gamecocks showed Wilson looking stunning in a white-stripped plunging black suit jacket, matching trousers, and a pair of black high-heeled shoes. She completed the look with a small silver necklace and bangles around her wrists.

"Arriving in style," the post was captioned.

Wilson is the fifth Gamecocks player to have her jersey retired. She remains the program's all-time leader with 2,389 points and 363 blocks, and she became the first player in league history to win SEC Player of the Year three times.

Wilson also led South Carolina to its first national title in 2017 and won the national player of the year in 2018. She also led the Gamecocks to their first Women's Final Four in 2015, four SEC tournament titles, and three SEC regular season titles.

Dawn Staley credits A'ja Wilson for taking South Carolina to another level

A'ja Wilson spent her collegiate career at South Carolina, during which the Gamecocks enjoyed a series of successes. A native of Hopkins, South Carolina, Wilson was the program's first recruit and went on to become its most decorated women's basketball player.

Dawn Staley, who coached Wilson, credited the Las Vegas Aces star for taking South Carolina's game in the NCAA to another level. Staley said Wilson deserved the honor of having her jersey retired.

"There is no one more deserving than this weekend with A'ja," Staley said per ESPN Saturday. "She legitimized our program. She took it to another level, and we still feel her legacy to this day. Everybody still talks about her contributions to this program. Everyone is always comparing what her impact was when she was a student-athlete here, and that's what legacy is."

"I don't think it could happen at a more appropriate time with her being the best player in the world, with her having the type of success she's had. She's given our program another platform," the Gamecocks coach added.

South Carolina continued to thrive long after Wilson left Colonial Life Arena to join the WNBA. The Gamecocks won two more NCAA titles (2022, 2024), and had a 43-game winning streak that ended in a disappointing loss to UCLA in November 2024. South Carolina also became the 10th team in Division I history to complete an undefeated season in 2023-24.

In the 2024-25 season, the Gamecocks sit second in the AP women's basketball ranking and are 21-1 overall and 9-0 in the SEC, following their dominant 83-66 win over the Auburn Tigers on Sunday.