A’ja Wilson statue brings the necessary joy during the low point of United States history

Rising from the water towards the sun, A’ja Wilson is immortalized in a form carved in bronze on the grounds of Colonial Life Arena in Downtown Columbia, SC – the home she and the head coach of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Dawn Staley , built at the University of South Carolina.

Sculpted by artist Julie Rotblatt-Amrany of The Fine Art Studio of Rotblatt-Amrany in Highwood, Illinois, whose previous athletic commissions include depictions of Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Magic Johnson and Scottie Pippen, the 3.3-meter statue seated on um The more than one meter base was installed on Thursday, January 14, to honor Wilson’s achievements and allow future generations to be inspired by them.

“The Wilson statue is one of only three on the University of South Carolina campus that represents a specific individual,” the South Carolina Athletics said in a press release. In addition, she is the first woman in the group and joins Richard T. Greener, the university’s first African-American faculty member, and George Rogers, winner of the Heisman Trophy.

The sculpture came about through private donations from Staley, philanthropist Dodie Anderson (who passed away in July) and Darius Rucker (famous for Hootie and the Blowfish).

The formal inauguration, an invitation-only event amid the continuing and aggravating crisis of COVID-19, will take place on Monday, January 18th. It will be broadcast live for fans to watch at: https://youtu.be/dW8_dtWWRZ8.

Wilson’s career stands out as a South Carolina Gamecock

Born in Hopkins, SC, Wilson joined the Staley program from Heathwood Hall and, in four years, achieved impressive individual achievements, standing out for being voted National Player of the Year, the first in the history of Gamecocks women’s basketball.

His other individual awards include:

• Four times All-American, the first time for a player on the South Carolina women’s basketball program
• Three first team assignments (2016, 2017, 2018)
• Four first-team All-SEC designations, another first
• Three times SEC Player of the Year (2016, 2017, 2018), the maximum for a single player in conference history
• Inaugural NCAA winner Lisa Leslie (2018)
• Most notable player of the NCAA tournament (2017)

However, individual awards do not guarantee the team’s success. It is the contributions to the achievements of the Gamecocks team – one left-handed tray at a time – that resulted in his immortalization in bronze. It was the team’s achievements that allowed the program to reach the credibility of a national power.

This “us about me” ethos, focused on humility, is the reason why Wilson rocks the important “HE> i” tattoo: an indelible reminder of who she serves.

Michelle Farsi / NBAE photo via Getty Images

South Carolina’s achievements during Wilson’s university career in 2015-18 include:

• NCAA National Championship 2017
• 2015 NCAA Final Four
• Three SEC regular season championships
• Four SEC tournament titles

Wilson’s achievements at WNBA

Wilson was chosen as the No. 1 overall in the WNBA 2018 Draft by the Las Vegas Aces and immediately demonstrated that his game translates well for the pros.

Before making his first appearance at the WNBA finals in 2020, Wilson was named:

• 2020 WNBA MVP
• 2018 WNBA Rookie of the Year (unanimous vote)
• Twice WNBA All-Star (2018, 2019)

BreakingT

In 2020, Wilson played the social justice league season in the Bradenton, Fla. Bubble, and used his platform as a representative of the WNBA Social Justice Council’s MVP to fight for racial justice.

Words from the luminaries

A’ja was a powerful force in our program, our campus and our community through everything she accomplished on the court and the person outside. This statue in front of this arena is an equally powerful force. Each young person, especially black girls, can see what is possible through hard work, passion and dedication.

—Dawn Staley, South Carolina women’s basketball coach

A’ja Wilson’s achievements, on and off the basketball court, make this statue so deserving. She is an excellent representative of Gamecock Athletics and our University. I am very happy that we can celebrate it that way. Thanks to everyone who helped to do this, including our big donors.

—Ray Tanner, South Carolina athletics director

Other players celebrate

Final thoughts

in “Dear black girls,” The July 2020 essay by A’ja Wilson in Players’ Tribune:

I hate that we have to become a hashtag for society to be like, “Oh, we love our black queens! Yaasss! “

Do not.

No. It is not good enough. We don’t want to be a meme or anything. We don’t want to be the angry black woman or the aggressive black woman. We just want to be seen as human beings in this world. We only want to be heard when we speak. We just want to be respected.

I don’t want to have to be NON-POLICY for you to hear me.

I want to be able to whisper, if I want to.

I don’t have all the answers. But I just want to say that I feel you. I went through that too. I have been angry and humiliated and despised and unknown. I was very depressed and lost at certain times in my life.

But do you know what?

It didn’t stop me.

I made myself heard.

I even made the ESPN film crew come to my school on the day of the signing so that I could put on my GAMECOCKS cap just like the boys do and I still had resistance.

“We are not sure if we will get a team in the short term. It can be complicated. “

Nah. You have Google Maps.