Gamecock great A’ja Wilson promotes new book, praises Dawn Staley in TV appearances
South Carolina great A’ja Wilson is an NCAA national champion, a two-time WNBA champ, an Olympic champion, a WNBA Finals MVP and two-time league MVP.
Now, she can add author to her list of coveted titles.
Wilson’s first book “Dear Black Girls” came out Tuesday. The book is an adaptation and extension of Wilson’s 2020 The Players Tribune essay by the same name. She shares stories in it about her life growing up in South Carolina, her path to stardom and the racism and misogyny she’s encountered along the way.
Wilson made a TV appearance Tuesday on “Good Morning America” to share insight on “Dear Black Girls” and delved into her experience playing for South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley, whom Wilson refers to as her second mother. Wilson will return home to Columbia on Feb. 25 for a 6 p.m. in-person event at Books-A-Million to promote her book.
“Coach Staley, she allowed me to be a young woman,” Wilson said Tuesday on “GMA.” “She allowed me to grow and have that process of four years being in college. When I wanted to cry because my boyfriend didn’t text me back at the time. Or if school was about to drive me insane. She let me have those moments.
“And that right now has just built me into the woman that I am today to share about my dyslexia, to write a book. Those stepping stones, the foundation that she laid down for me to be professionalism and disciplined just helped me be true to myself. And she allowed me to find myself. And I love that”
Staley gave Wilson a shoutout in a short clip played during her “GMA” interview.
“To the best basketball player in the world,” Staley said. “To the best on the list of best sellers. Thank you for giving us Black excellence. A’ja Wilson style. Congrats, A.”
Wilson will also appear on ABC News Live with Linsey Davis at 7 p.m. ET and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on CBS/Paramount Plus at 2:35 a.m. ET to promote her book.
This story was originally published February 6, 2024 at 1:05 PM.
