It's a good time to be a former South Carolina basketball player. Just days after three former Gamecocks in Madina Okot, Raven Johnson and Ta'Niya Latson got drafted into the WNBA, A'ja Wilson just made league history.
On Wednesday, ESPN's Shams Charania and Andraya Carter reported that Wilson signed a new three-year deal to return to the Las Vegas Aces. The deal is reportedly worth $5 million as a supermax deal, and is believed to be the biggest in WNBA history:
A'ja Wilson, the WNBA's first ever four-time MVP, is signing a three-year, $5 million supermax contract to return to the Las Vegas Aces, sources tell me and @Andraya_Carter. The deal, which is the largest in WNBA history to date and fully guaranteed, was negotiated by Jade-Li… pic.twitter.com/xSJhkHOvId
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 15, 2026
Wilson, who has been with the Aces since the team drafted her No. 1 overall in 2018, confirmed the new deal on Wednesday. She issued a brief statement, "YKWFGO," which is pretty perfect after signing the biggest deal in WNBA history. The acronym stands for "You know what the F-- going on:"
A'ja Wilson's statement on re-signing with the Las Vegas Aces on a three-year supermax deal pic.twitter.com/FtE33IIxh3
— Alexa Philippou (@alexaphilippou) April 15, 2026
Although Wilson likely could have had her pick to go elsewhere in the league, she recently told reporters she wasn't planning on leaving the Aces anytime soon.
“I’m not looking,” Wilson said just last week when asked about free agency.
“I know exactly where I am. I know I love Vegas. I’m not leaving Vegas, so I’m not looking anywhere.”
The Aces star center has won three championships in Vegas, including another four league MVPs in 2020, 2022, 2024 and 2025. Wilson and the Aces will look to defend their most recent league title when the WNBA season tips off on May 8.
Prior to becoming the highest-paid player in the WNBA, Wilson was a star at South Carolina. She helped bring Dawn Staley her first-ever national championship to the Gamecocks in 2017. In Columbia, she was a three-time All-American as well as SEC Player of the Year. She is so good that she already has her number, No. 22, retired at South Carolina.
This is likely a big recruiting pitch for Staley, who has been quite busy hosting players from the transfer portal over the last couple of weeks.
Congrats to the Gamecock legend on making WNBA history with her well-deserved new deal.
Top transfer-portal targets for Dawn Staley, South Carolina
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