Behind the spark that lit up Vegas lately was a man’s silent slog that shaped up a champion. He came across as a ruthless, but that never stopped him to draw best out of the rookie. Years later as the girl led the Aces to twin championship, the coach’s devotion came to the fore. By defeating the New York Liberty by a decent margin of 3-1, the Aces’ captain A?ja Wilson suddenly became the center of attention. She bagged the Finals MVP award and made a resounding statement during the victory parade.

But who coached A’ja, especially during her growing-up years that made her into the icon she is today?

A’ja Wilson’s home coach

A?ja was born to Roscoe C. Wilson Jr. and Eva Rakes Wilson on August 8, 1996 in South Columbia. While her father named her ?Aja? after his favorite song from his loved band Steely Dan, A?ja?s middle name Riyadh comes from the Suadi Arabian capital where her maternal aunt was present in Operation Desert Storm.

Roscoe had played basketball professionally for 10 years in Europe whereas Eva had a court stenography business. Eva instilled in her the values of family and also pushed her towards basketball. Roscoe on the other hand volunteered to be her coach during early years. He would encourage Wilson to play with a 20-pound vest and a 5-pound ball to improve her game. The Las Vegas Aces captain would be in tears during a lot of practice games as she felt her father was being unjust to her. But as she grew up, A?ja began to realize the advancements in her game and how her father was helping her be better.

A?ja at first didn?t want to be an athlete. As a child, she had a variety of interests including dancing, art, music, friends, but Roscoe saw in her the potential to be an astute player.

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Roscoe would teach her the basics of the game like keeping an eye on her feet and the hands above the shoulder level. The weight helped her develop strength and also improve against a formidable defense.

How were Roscoe’s growing up years?

Roscoe was born in Columbia in 1952 just like A?ja but the University of South Carolina had no African-American athletes at that time. So he enrolled at Benedict College which was a historically black university in Columbia where his mother Ethel C. Wilson was a professor. Meanwhile, Roscoe Sr. was a minister at Saint John Baptist church in Columbia.Roscoe is remembered for pulling 35 boards in a college game and was named an All-American. Other than the USA, Roscoe played professional basketball for a decade in Europe and South America. He is known for playing one-on-one against Alex English before the latter was drafted in the NBA.

Roscoe is a social butterfly who people know for his ability to hold conversations with anyone he met. “People say, ‘Your dad knows someone everywhere he goes!'” A’ja explained as per SEC Sports.

Her elder brother Renaldo too played basketball for Benedict College in Columbia and features in shows for the Columbia Radio Station. Her entire family and friends have played the game, including her boyfriend Josh Cunningham (as per Web Story) who plays professionally in Australia.?In 2020 A?ja had revealed that Cunningham is her ?best friend? and she is ?very happy? with him.

Even after she has matured into the player she is, her parents are totally invested in her. Her father is so proud of her achievements that he often visits the Colonial Life Arena which is a home court for Gamecocks to see her statue. She is the first woman to have a statue at the Columbia Campus.

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Her parents also avoid missing out on her games. They were present when the 2x WNBA Champion received her second MVP trophy in 2022 from Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. Also helping her with practical chores, her mother Eva currently assists her in running the Burnt Wax Candle company and also inculcates financial literacy in her. That help A’ja build her net worth.