When it comes to South Carolina, A'ja Wilson is royalty. So much so that she has a statue on campus in her honor for her impact, specifically for leading the Gamecocks to the NCAA title in 2017.

Plus, she is fresh off winning her third WNBA championship with the Las Vegas Aces and her fourth league MVP Award. On Saturday, Wilson went back to where it all began to check in a South Carolina/Alabama football game, per SEC Network.

Currently, South Carolina is 4-3 on the season facing off against the storied Alabama program standing at No.4 with a 6-1 record.

Wilson became the No.1 draft pick in the 2018 WNBA Draft. Prior to that, she left an indeliable impact at South Carolina. Altogether, she became a three-time SEC Player of the Year (2016, 2017, and 2018). In the process, Wilson became the all time points leader with 2,389 points.

Plus, Wilson holds the record for the most blocks with 363. Wilson and along with Dawn Staley as head coach helped put South Carolina on the map after winning in 2017.

Eventually, Staley would lead the Gamecocks to two more championships in 2022 and 2024. Earlier this year, Wilson's jersey was retired by the university.

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A'ja Wilson began the pipeline to success 

Since Wilson's ascendence, a number of prominent players have made the smooth transition from South Carolina to the WNBA. Shortly after Wilson, Aliyah Boston would follow suit after leading the Gamecocks to the national championship.

In 2023, Boston was drafted by the Indiana Fever as the No.1 pick. That year, Boston received the Rookie of the Year Award.

The following season, the Gamecocks won their third championship by going 38-0. That spring, Kamilla Cardoso was drafted by the Chicago Sky in the WNBA Draft. Eventually, other Gamecocks including Tiffany Mitchell, Zia Cooke, Allisha Gray, Te-Hina Paopao, and Tyasha Harris made a name for themselves in the WNBA.

But it all started with Wilson.