The last year has been a demanding one for A’ja Wilson. A part of the USA squad that won their 8th straight Gold, the moment was surely joyous for Wilson, but it came at the cost of rest. A’ja’s Aces had lofty ambitions of their own as they were looking for their third consecutive championship, falling short in the semi-finals to the eventual champions, New York Liberty. It was obvious Wilson needed some time to recharge, and she did just that when she skipped the inaugural season of the Unrivaled 3-on-3 league to focus on recovery and personal time, spending time with family.

So as families across the country attended church services and hunted Easter eggs, A’ja Wilson visited a friend who has turned into family over the course of time. The Aces star was united with ex-teammate and WNBA legend Candace Parker. This was seen on her Instagram as Candace Parker posted a story with A’ja Wilson captioned, “Guess who I saw”. The story was promptly reposted by A’ja, who has never shied away from expressing her admiration of Candace, and lovingly wrote “my fav  🫶” over it.

The Easter spirit was surely high within Parker, who wore a suit that had a mix of pastel colors, traditionally associated with Easter and symbolizing spring. “PASTELLLYYY” is how Parker described the suit as she continued to poke fun, to which Candace responded ,“I literally cannot stand you right now” but doing so with a smile on her face displaying the playfulness of the bond they share. The reunion fell a day after Parker’s birthday, who turned 39.

Since announcing her retirement in April 2024 after a storied 16-year WNBA career, Candace Parker has been sharing her basketball wisdom as a TNT analyst. Reuniting with A’ja Wilson, her former Las Vegas Aces teammate, offered a heartfelt moment to swap stories and soak in the love of a friend who’s become family.

Spending time away from her family to meet Candace shows us the importance she holds in Wilson’s life now, especially considering A’ja’s background. Raised in a family of believers, she attended Saint John Baptist Church regularly throughout her childhood, and her grandfather was a minister for over 50 years. She has publicly credited her success to her church and community upbringing and even uploaded an Instagram story on Easter day  that said “Christ is risen”, a reference to the Lord’s resurrection on the day of Easter.

For A’ja, Easter wasn’t just about egg hunts—it was a day to lean into her faith, making her visit with Parker, who shares her spiritual roots, feel like a warm hug from home.

A’ja has often emphasized on spending time with family and friends, prioritizing mental health as much as physical health. She is also famous for having “unplugged” days where she tries to be more present.

“Cut my phone off. Just disconnect from social. I delete my socials and I wake up, I’m like, “Dang, my day is actually going pretty smoothly.” I’m more attentive. I’m more in tune with my life — my real actual life.” she shared on an interview with ESPN.

So it was no surprise at all when she paid her mentor a visit weeks before the WNBA season starts.

With the 2025 season kicking off in May, A’ja’s time with Parker was like a deep breath, helping her gear up to lead the Aces in their chase for another title after last year’s tough loss.

From A’ja Wilson’s Idol to Candace Parker’s Teammate

Growing up, Wilson had identified Parker as her basketball inspiration, not simply because she the best but because A’ja could relate to her. “Candace Parker was number one because she looked like me,” Wilson stated, adding that seeing Parker succeed made her believe, “Oh, I could do this”.

To Wilson, it wasn’t simply about the basketball, it was a possibility. The possibility that she could achieve it too if she wanted, despite the colour of her skin.

Wilson said she often hears about students that write about her for Black History Month projects, bringing back memories of her writing about Parker and back in school. As the one now being idolized, A’ja knows the value of the shoes she is in.

The fact that there are young girls sitting in a class and they can write about any athlete in the world, but choose to write about Wilson is simply special to her. “I’m truly blessed to be able to be in the situation where they can trust me enough to be like, ‘I want to be like her,'” Wilson stated.

Wilson has since gone on to compete against Parker in the league, and she’s gone toe-to-toe with the future Hall of Famer. The two run the league for 5 years, competing for championships and MVPs, before Parker decided to join Wilson in Vegas in an attempt to dominated the league.  Together, they helped lead the Aces to win the WNBA Championship and while Parker might have retired from the game, the two are constantly showing up to support each other. Showing that the admiration and love isn’t just limited to the court but to the human outside it as well.