WNBA stars have been tuning in for March Madness, which has put up numerous exhilarating performances from top women's basketball prospects, including MiLaysia Fulwiley. The South Carolina star led her team to the Elite Eight after taking down Maryland on Friday.
In one of her highlights in the game, Fulwiley performed a filthy behind-the-back fake finish to take the lead 52-50 in the second half, giving South Carolina control the rest of the way. Her behind-the-back highlight caught the attention of the Las Vegas Aces guard Chelsea Gray, who wrote a five-word comment on X.
“MiLaysia what? Around the back 👀,” Gray wrote.
Trending
In the win against Maryland, Fulwiley finished with 23 points, five rebounds, and three assists.
While she has emerged as one of the stars in the NCAA tournament, the 19-year-old Fulwiley must wait until she turns 22 to be eligible for the WNBA draft. She is expected to qualify for the draft in 2027.
Gray was drafted 11th overall in 2014. Last season, She averaged 8.6 points, 2.9 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.3 steals per game for the Aces.
Gray played a key role in the Aces' back-to-back championships in 2022 and 2023.
Chelsea Gray reflects on the future of women's basketball after WNBA's popularity spike
In her decade-long career, Chelsea Gray has seen the growth of women's basketball from being an afterthought to being a popular sporting product. Gray reflected on the future of women's basketball in an interview with CNN last year.
“I think the visibility is extremely important. Now, you’re able to see us. It’s not hard to find us and people are seeing the product. The audience continues to grow,” she said.
The WNBA saw record numbers of viewership last season, giving birth to breakthroughs in the sport, including a startup league like Unrivaled.
Aside from the current uptick, Gray also credited the pioneers of the sport, who paved the way for the surge.
“There’s people that came before [the rookie class] that allowed this to happen because there’s no viewership without the people that came before me and them. And, you know, there’s been foundations and bricks laid before they even came into the league,” she said.
The 2025 WNBA season will begin on May 16. Gray’s Aces will start their season on May 17, where they will face the defending champions New York Liberty.
