South Carolina star A’ja Wilson ready for WNBA, Las Vegas

Las Vegas Review-Journal

6 years ago

Buffalo’s Katherine Ups (5) defends against South Carolina’s A’ja Wilson (22) during the first half in a regional semifinal at the NCAA women’s college basketball tournament Saturday, March 24, 2018, in Albany, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

In this March 3, 2018, file photo, South Carolina forward A’ja Wilson plays against Georgia in the second half of an NCAA college basketball semifinal game at the women’s Southeastern Conference tournament, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File)

South Carolina forward A’ja Wilson, right, drives to the hoop against North Carolina A&T center Alexis Lessears, left, during the first half of game in the first-round of the NCAA women’s college basketball tournament, Friday, March 16, 2018, in Columbia, S.C. (AP Photo/Sean Rayford)

South Carolina’s A’ja Wilson (22) drives past Connecticut’s Gabby Williams (15) and Crystal Dangerfield (5) during the first half of a regional final at the a women’s NCAA college basketball tournament Monday, March 26, 2018, in Albany, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley hugs A’ja Wilson, left, as Wilson leaves the game during the second half of a regional final against Connecticut at the a women’s NCAA college basketball tournament Monday, March 26, 2018, in Albany, N.Y. Connecticut won 94-65. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

South Carolina’s A’ja Wilson, center, drives past Connecticut’s Napheesa Collier (24) during the first half of a regional final at the a women’s NCAA college basketball tournament Monday, March 26, 2018, in Albany, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

South Carolina’s A’ja Wilson (22) fights for control of the ball with Buffalo’s Katherine Ups (5) and Cierra Dillard (24) during the second half in a regional semifinal at the NCAA women’s college basketball tournament Saturday, March 24, 2018, in Albany, N.Y. South Carolina won 79-63. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

South Carolina’s A’ja Wilson (22) looks to pass away from Buffalo’s Katherine Ups (5) during the second half in a regional semifinal at the NCAA women’s college basketball tournament Saturday, March 24, 2018, in Albany, N.Y. South Carolina won 79-63. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

A’ja Wilson was a wide-eyed adolescent the last time she ventured to Las Vegas, dreaming of playing professional basketball in the WNBA and beyond.

The next time she’ll be in Las Vegas will be as the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA Draft, the face of a new franchise vying for relevance in a flowering sports market and the fulfiller of that childhood prophecy.

Probably.

Wilson, 21, was the consensus national player of the year after an outstanding senior season at South Carolina and is expected to become Aces president of basketball operations and coach Bill Laimbeer’s first selection in his tenure with the team.

The 6-foot-5-inch forward gets buckets, grabs rebounds and blocks shots at the highest level, and ESPN women’s basketball analyst Rebecca Lobo expects a rather seamless transition from college to the pros.

“This is somebody that could eventually be an Olympian, who can be a WNBA All-Star and who’s only going to continue to get better,” Lobo said. “She has the pieces necessary right now to immediately help a team.”

And after an 8-26 season in 2017, the Aces could certainly use her help.

Wilson grew up just outside Columbia, South Carolina, admiring WNBA legends such as Lisa Leslie and Candace Parker. As the nation’s top high school recruit, she stayed home to play for the Gamecocks and coach Dawn Staley, who lauded her talent and versatility.

“She was the top player in her class in her senior year of high school, and she’s the top player in her class her senior year of college,” Staley said by telephone. “If you look at her stats from Year One to now, you’ve seen her grow and seen her become more efficient in every area of her game.”

Wilson, indeed, improved her scoring average every year on campus and stretched her range from the paint to the perimeter.

She scores from anywhere and everywhere, earning first-team All-America honors in her last three years, and guided the program to its first national title in 2017.

“I had to be a leader,” Wilson said. “Also, expanding my game, whether that’s taking it out to the 3-point line or coming off the dribble, doing different things. Every game or every season someone saw something different out of me.”

Speaking on a conference call Friday, Laimbeer raved about Wilson and her positive qualities, but stopped short of proclaiming her the No. 1 pick.

“I tell everybody I played cards the other day and I kept getting the ace of diamonds, which it may be an omen,” he said. “We haven’t told anybody that ‘Yes, you are the pick.’ Do we have it in our mind who we’re going to pick? Probably so.”

Staley didn’t stop short of anything, though.

She proudly espoused where she expects Wilson to go Thursday.

Back to Las Vegas.

As an adult, a professional and the No. 1 pick.

“I’ve seen her grow and mature into an All-American, to the top player in the country,” Staley said. “I think Vegas would be crazy to not take her at No. 1.

“Absolutely bazonkers.”

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Contact reporter Sam Gordon at sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon on Twitter.