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South Carolina basketball: A’ja Wilson statue unveiled at Colonial Life Arena

By Jacob Elsey

TAMPA, FL - APRIL 05: A'ja Wilson #22 of the South Carolina Gamecocks shoots against Brianna Turner #11 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the first half during the NCAA Women's Final Four Semifinal at Amalie Arena on April 5, 2015 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL - APRIL 05: A'ja Wilson #22 of the South Carolina Gamecocks shoots against Brianna Turner #11 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the first half during the NCAA Women's Final Four Semifinal at Amalie Arena on April 5, 2015 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images) /
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South Carolina basketball star A’ja Wilson now has a statue in her honor.

There was a new sculpture spotted outside of the Colonial Life Arena this week, as the athletic department unveiled a statue of current WNBAer and former Gamecock superstar A’ja Wilson. Wilson had a decorated career in Columbia, leading South Carolina to its first national championship in program history as a junior.

https://twitter.com/GamecockWBB/status/1349808932588498949

The statue honors one of the greatest athletes to come out of the university. Wilson was a four-year starter, three-time All-American, and national champion. She left Columbia as a three-time conference player of the year and the program’s all-time leading scorer.

News of the statue broke yesterday, and social media took immediate notice. Wilson received congratulations from NBA stars LeBron James, Pau Gasol, and Ja Morant, NFL linebacker Darius Leonard, ESPN analyst LaChina Robinson, and many more.

https://twitter.com/JaMorant/status/1349824999151067137

Now a member of the Las Vegas Aces, Wilson helped lead the team to a WNBA Finals appearance. The former number one pick was selected as the league’s MVP, after averaging more than 20 points a game in the 2020 season. She shot a career best 48% from the field, while also leading the team in rebounding.

Through three years of action, Wilson has posted totals of 19.3 points, 7.7 boards, and 1.8 blocks per contest.

The statue was reportedly constructed by Chicago based sculptor Julie Rotblatt-Amrany, who’s designed statues for a handful of star players, including Michael Jordan.

Wilson was named one of the 50 most influential sports figures of 2020, cracking the list at No. 37.

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