Look: South Carolina retires A’ja Wilson’s No. 22 — the jersey and the number
South Carolina women’s basketball legend A’ja Wilson had her jersey added to the rafters of Colonial Life Arena on Sunday morning.
Wilson’s jersey was retired in a ceremony before the Gamecocks tipped off against Auburn. And as head coach Dawn Staley promised a day earlier, Sunday’s event also retired Wilson’s number.
She’s “the last player who will ever wear No 22 for Gamecock basketball,” the PA announcer said as Wilson’s banner was unfurled high above in the arena.
The Columbia native helped “legitimize” the program, Staley said. Wilson, the program’s first-ever No. 1 recruit, was a four-time All-American, three-time SEC Player of the Year, two-time SEC Defensive Player of the Year, AP Player of the Year winner, a Wooden Award winner and Naismith Award winner.
Wilson played an integral role in bringing home South Carolina’s first national championship in 2017.
She’s parlayed a successful collegiate career into the pros. Wilson is a six-time WNBA All-Star, three-time WNBA champion and three-time WNBA MVP.
The university has only retired jerseys, not numbers, since at least 2007. They appear to be making an exception for Wilson and No. 22.
In a brief ceremony Sunday, Wilson thanked her parents, USC teammates, Gamecock fans and, of course, Staley.
“Thank you coach for seeing the light in me even when I couldn’t see it in myself,” Wilson said of the Gamecocks coach.
The university has only retired jerseys, not numbers, since at least 2007. They appear to be making an exception for Wilson and No. 22.
“It’s a privilege to be a Gamecocks, to be a part of this community,” Wilson said. “One of the greatest honors of my life was representing the garnet and black every night.”
South Carolina’s retired WBB jerseys
#13 Martha Parker (1985-89)
#14 Shannon Johnson (1992-96)
#22 A’ja Wilson (2014-18)
#25 Tiffany Mitchell (2012-16)
#53 Sheila Foster (1978-82)
This story was originally published February 2, 2025 at 12:17 PM.
