A’ja Wilson sends emotional reaction after Dawn Staley statue is officially unveiled in downtown Columbia

Reigning WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson shared her reaction as the City of Columbia honored legendary coach Dawn Staley with a statue downtown.

On Wednesday, the city unveiled Staley’s statue at the intersection of Senate St. and Lincoln St. It is also located next to the University of South Carolina Pastides Alumni Center and near the Columbia Convention Center.

Wilson shared a photo of Staley talking in front of the statue and added two emojis.

“🥹🤍,” Wilson wrote.

In another Instagram story, Wilson reshared the post of South Carolina Women’s Basketball.

The statue is in partnership with Statues for Equality, a public arts funding group. According to Fox Sports’ Kevin Connaughton and Patrick Phillips, the bronze statue is worth $140,000. It is 14 feet in height and weighs nearly 2,000 pounds. It depicts the legendary coach smiling on a ladder holding a basketball net.

Under Staley, the Gamecocks have reached unprecedented success, winning three national championships (2017, 2022 and 2024). The Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer has amassed a 457-110 record since taking over the reins in 2008.

Wilson is from Columbia, South Carolina. She played with the Gamecocks for four years, leading the school to the 2017 NCAA championship.

“I’m grateful to be standing with her”- A’ja Wilson praises Dawn Staley amid statue unveiling

While Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson was not in attendance on Wednesday during Dawn Staley’s statue unveiling, the three-time WNBA MVP was all praises for her former coach. Aces reporter Callie Fin shared Wilson’s comments on X.

“It’s amazing,” Wilson said.” I hate that I’m missing it, but obviously I know she would cuss me out if I was there, not at training camp…. It truly just speaks volumes to who she is and what she’s done for that whole city of Columbia, the state of South Carolina, women’s basketball. It’s deserving. I’m so happy that she finally gets it.

“I hope that it looks good. I know if it’s anything with her, it’s gonna look great. I’m grateful to be standing with her.”

A’ja Wilson will enter her eighth WNBA season in 2025. She hopes to lead Las Vegas to its third title after leading the franchise to back-to-back championship runs in 2022 and 2023.

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Kim is an editor for US Sports and an NBA and WNBA analyst at Sportskeeda with a decade of multi-industry experience. He has a bachelor’s degree in finance and is currently a candidate for a master’s degree in business administration.

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Edited by Kim Daniel Rubinos