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Reigning WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson took time out of her offseason to visit the locker room of the University of North Carolina. The arrival of the Las Vegas Aces star on Sunday was just in time as the Tar Heels were celebrating their 69-60 win against the Miami Hurricanes.
For the first three quarters, the Tar Heels were in the lead. The club outscored Miami, 62-47. Nevertheless, the Hurricanes outscored UNC 13–7 after a strong run in the last quarter. Fortunately, the other team had established a sizable lead, which enabled them to win.
Following the game, Wilson barged in on the locker room to congratulate the college players for their efforts.
"Good win, guys!" Wilson said as she walked inside the locker room.
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The team was surprised by her appearance and took a photo with Wilson.
Maria Gakdeng scored the most points for the Tar Heels with 21. She had 12 rebounds and shot 70% from the charity stripe. Alyssa Ustby also had a double-double with 19 points, 13 rebounds and four steals.
UNC took advantage of their presence inside the paint as they had 40 points over Miami's 20. Their rebounding was key in the game with their second chance points, 15.
Their next game is on Jan. 5 against Notre Dame.
A'ja Wilson's alma mater to retire her jersey number
The South Carolina Gamecocks announced on Saturday their plans for A'ja Wilson's No. 22 jersey number. According to the school, the ceremony will take place on Feb. 2.
The frontcourt star played for the Gamecocks from 2014 to 2018, where she collected accolades. Wilson was a two-time SEC Defensive Player of the Year, three-time SEC Player of the Year, four-time First-team All-SEC and one-time NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player.
She also led the team to an NCAA championship in 2017. Wilson collected Player of the Year awards during her time in college. In 2018, she earned the AP Player of the Year, USBWA Player of the Year and Naismith College Player of the Year.
In her freshman year at South Carolina, Wilson showed flashes of greatness in her ability to score and rebound the ball. She averaged 13.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks.
The college star gradually improved her performance in her four-year stay with the team. In her final season, she averaged 22.6 points and led the league in rebounds with 11.8. Wilson also led the league in blocks that season, averaging 3.2. Overall, she averaged 17.3 points, 8.7 rebounds and 2.6 blocks in college.
