Coming Up Aces: A’ja Wilson Brings Skill and Will to Las Vegas Aces of the WNBA; Former Center of University of South Carolina Women’s Basketball Team Humble and Likable, Would Like to Meet Will Smith, More
On May 20th, 2018, another new beginning in professional sports kicks off in Las Vegas. First came professional hockey with the Las Vegas Golden Knights. Now, the Las Vegas Aces of the WNBA will play their first regular season game. Having a women’s professional basketball team is the next step for a city with a short history of professional sports teams.
Receiving the number one pick in this year’s WNBA Draft, the Aces were able to select center A’ja Wilson, out of the University of South Carolina. A John Wooden Award winner, 2016 NCAA National Champion and All American, A-ja could very well be one of those once in a lifetime players for the sport of women’s basketball.
Her ability to bring a National Championship to South Carolina was something that brought her university great pride. She became a rock star on campus and the face of her school, in very much the same way Tim Tebow was the biggest thing at the University of Florida when he was the quarterback of the football team there.
Born and raised in South Carolina, A-ja is now living in Las Vegas. She can see the Vegas Strip from her home. As the inaugural WNBA season begins for the Las Vegas Aces, many fans will get to know this promising young athlete who achieved much on a collegiate level. Though the accolades are endless, A-ja Wilson is just excited to play the game of basketball.
For the city of Las Vegas, its residents and the tourists who come here, they will have a chance to see A-ja and the rest of her teammates at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. Time will tell if this team will be playoff/championship competitive in year one. But one thing is for sure, A-ja is the kind of player who can get you closer to that goal.
We spoke to A-ja recently at the team’s practice facility, where we discussed everything from being nervous before every game to Will Smith being the person she most wants to meet. See our picture above.
You can read the highlights and listen to the entire CYInterview below: