South Carolina Basketball: Three Gamecocks in top-25 WNBA player rankings
By Kevin Miller
In recent days, the worldwide leader in sports released their top-25 power rankings for the WNBA. ESPN’s list included three former South Carolina basketball greats in the top-19.
Unsurprisingly, Aja Wilson is the highest-rated player on the list. Wilson comes in at #2 behind only Breanna Stewart. Stewie and Wilson are clearly the top-2 players in the game, and both former MVPs are having career-best seasons. Wilson is on pace to set career highs in rebounding, blocked shots, and field goal percentage and is just behind her top scoring and steals numbers.
In the 14th spot on the list, rookie post player Aliyah Boston is also representing the Gamecocks. Boston leads the entire WNBA in field goal percentage and has set several league records for the start of a player’s career. Like Wilson, Boston was a starter in the All-Star Game, the first rookie to receive that honor since 2014.
The third Gamecock to make ESPN’s list is guard Allisha Gray. Gray is a big-time scorer for the Atlanta Dream. In her first season in Atlanta, Gray is averaging her highest-ever scoring numbers (17.9 points per game) and assist totals (3.5 assists per game). She was chosen as a reserve for the WNBA All-Star Game and played on the same team as Wilson and Boston.
The three Gamecock All-Stars have earned their spots in the rankings with their performance on the court in 2023. Amazingly, each one of those players could be moving up the list, as well. Wilson and Gray are having their best seasons ever, and Boston is still just a rookie and just 21 years old.
The WNBA is growing more and more saturated with Dawn Staley disciples. South Carolina basketball had five players drafted in the 2023 WNBA Draft, three All-Stars in 2023, and the league MVP in 2022. In a few short years when ESPN puts out their top-25 list again, it would come as no surprise if more than three Gamecocks crack the rankings.