When Dawn Staley's WNBA draft prediction had A'ja Wilson in splits

After playfully saying A'ja Wilson would take her talents overseas, Dawn Staley had another joke in her bag. During South Carolina's news conference in 2018, the player-coach duo sat with the media to discuss the program and the center's future in the WNBA.

Wilson apparently had a concern about retaining her identity and on-court impact in the big league. However, right after, Staley hilariously announced that Wilson would be the top pick in the 2018 draft, leaving the then-SEC Player of the Year in splits.

"You heard it here, folks, she'll be the No. 1 pick in Thursday's draft," she said (at 1:58).

Dawn Staley added that A'ja Wilson is destined to elevate the competitiveness and level in the WNBA. She also said Wilson has had a firsthand experience of garnering enough confidence, charisma, relatability and leadership skills at South Carolina to translate it to the next stage.

"Players like A'ja are built to take the league to the next level," she said (at 2:28). "Every so often you get a player that is not gonna fit the mold of just being another WNBA player."

As Staley predicted, her star center was the No. 1 pick in the 2018 draft. Wilson was selected by the Las Vegas Aces and nearly powered them to the postseason. She ranked third on the season's scoring leaderboard, won the Rookie of the Year honors and featured in the All-Star lineup.

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Dawn Staley believes A'ja Wilson's impact still helps in making South Carolina a powerhouse

Ever since A'ja Wilson led South Carolina to its first NCAA championship in 2017, the program has been a constant contender for the national title. The program also lifted the trophy in 2022 and 2024, years after Wilson's exit.

Dawn Staley believes that Wilson's continued impact has a lot to do with the Gamecocks' ability to sign some of the top talents in the nation.

"Because of A'ja, we continue to get the top talent, and our fans - they create an experience that if you don't come here, you feel like you're missing out," Staley said during Wilson's jersey retirement ceremony last month.

To this day, A'ja Wilson is the all-time program leader in points (2,389), blocked shots (2.6) and free throws (597). She also has several all-SEC and all-time NCAA Tournament records under her belt.