SEC Superhero! South Carolina’s A’ja Wilson top shot-blocker

The urban legend goes that A’ja Wilson, then a South Carolina freshman in the first month of her college career, was eating at Panera when a coach from a small in-state college approached her. Having no idea who she was, he tried to convince the 6-foot-5 prospect to come play volleyball for him.

She politely declined, much to the chagrin of other SEC schools. Wilson could have been using her skills in another sport, instead of treating the hardwood as her own volleyball court without the net.

Wilson checked into Thursday’s game against Ole Miss with an SEC-leading 3.3 blocks per game. She’s eighth nationally in blocks per game, 15^th in total blocks and has twice swatted eight shots in a game this year.

As if she wasn’t enough to handle by averaging nearly a double-double in an SEC Player of the Year campaign, Wilson has added another dimension. She joked about winning SEC Defensive Player of the Year in the preseason, but it’s no laughing matter to the rest of the league.

And yes, volleyball played a part in it.

"I guess it’s all in timing. I think I really picked that up from volleyball," said Wilson, a ninth-grade middle blocker at Heathwood Hall before she embraced basketball. "When I started growing, I was in the middle position, because you got to see everything."

She still wears the air casts around her ankles that she wore in volleyball. The principle is the same – hand, meet ball – but her focus has changed. Instead of rejecting it to wherever it might land, Wilson is learning how to directional-block – to a teammate to start a fast break, or to where she can get the rebound.

"We got to figure out how to be selective," coach Dawn Staley said. "I think A’ja’s at a point where she just wants to block the shot. Once we get integral with those things, I think she can be better at multi-tasking."

Wilson grew into the top basketball prospect in the country because of her height, athleticism and ability to score. The shot-blocking was an added bonus – although most figured she’d get a few swats because she’s 6-5.

"I think volleyball and basketball play hand-in-hand with athletic skills," Heathwood basketball coach John O’Cain said. "Hand-eye coordination with the ball, the timing of hitting the ball. I started coaching A’ja in the eighth grade, and she was probably 5-8, 5-9. She had a knack of blocking the basketball. As she grew up, it became easier and easier."

Playing against far smaller prep competition, Wilson would often jump and grab the ball with both hands. O’Cain thought of NBA legend Bill Russell, who could block and gain possession of the ball at the same time, and configured his defense around Wilson – pressure the ball up top, and if a guard slipped it and got into the lane, Wilson was waiting. Heathwood’s guards could hang back and wait for the block, rebound and outlet.

Wilson can’t do it as easily as she did in high school, but she’s become a presence. The next step is to start directing the carom in the Gamecocks’ favor.

"I’m really just trying to keep it in bounds, but I guess the way the person is coming on the floor, I want my teammates to get into it and get into transition," she said. "Volleyball, you can come off the net. Basketball, it’s not letting them shoot."

Staley is coaching Wilson to not only use her height, but her length. For instance, the Rebels will dribble-drive into the paint but also shoot a lot of 3-pointers; Wilson can’t just stay in the paint and hope a guard is foolish enough to take her on. Spreading the backside defense with 6-4 Alaina Coates will help limit opponent 3s and still have Wilson able to produce in the middle. If the Rebels drive the lane, well, they could be feeling like that college coach last year.

"It’s just something that kind of comes to me, I guess. It’s exciting," Wilson said. "If you’re tall and you see a ball coming, it’s like, ‘OK, I got to try and get that.’"

This story was originally published January 27, 2016 at 5:12 PM.