Growing up in Hopkins, it was just a 20-minute drive to the University of South Carolina campus in Columbia for A’ja Wilson. Once describing the town as “chill, with a bunch of woods, and nice and quiet,” she wanted to stay home to play basketball and represent the very place where she grew up. But South Carolina coach Dawn Staley was the catalyst the player needed. It was May 10, 2008, when the program hired Staley. Wilson would have been a young 11-year-old with big dreams and still remembers how her parents talked about South Carolina hiring a new coach.

However, the coach kept tabs on the young prodigy who lived just down the road. Now Wilson did take a lot of time to decide on her college. After all, programs like UConn attracted her, but eventually, it was Staley’s program that ultimately drew her. All of this resulted in South Carolina winning its very first national championship in basketball. They shocked Mississippi State with a 67–55 victory. They simply couldn’t handle Wilson, who dominated the game with 23 points, 10 rebounds, and four blocks.

“I remember tweeting that I wanted to be like LeBron and bring one home, and now I know the feeling of it,” Wilson said after the win. “The state has done so much for me and now I can return it with a national championship. I can’t even put into words what it’s like when you have done something for your state. I am honored to wear these words (South Carolina) across my chest.”

Her time in South Carolina witnessed many achievements, and that’s why they are retiring her No. 22 jersey. But not everyone is entirely on board with the timing of this honor.

In a new episode of The Ringer show, Chauny Powell joined host Seerat Sohi to discuss Wilson’s legacy—and Powell didn’t hold back on her thoughts about the jersey retirement. “To me, that A’ja Wilson statue is a big deal. So I think it’s interesting that the jersey retirement, and statue were not like a package deal, or at the very least like one right after another,” she said.

Here’s the thing: Wilson’s statue was installed at the Colonial Life Arena in South Carolina in 2021. “She is an outstanding representative of Gamecock Athletics and our University. I am delighted that we can celebrate her in this manner,” Athletics Director Ray Tanner stated back then. However, her jersey will retire in 2025. It will happen before the No. 2 Gamecocks play against Auburn on Sunday.

Powell further continued, “I am happy for her. It’s going to be cool to see but I am not like ‘Oh my gosh!’ Because like again, I’ve seen the statue.”

Wilson’s pro career began in 2018, and by 2021, South Carolina had already dedicated an 11-foot bronze statue of her. It was unveiled on Martin Luther King Jr. Day—January 18th of that year—a moment that was powerful in its own right. But as Powell noted, there’s a sense that the jersey retirement, which is happening now in 2025, feels like it should’ve come sooner.

While Powell’s critique resonates, there is also something to be said about the timing being special in its own way.

‘Better late than never’ A’ja Wilson’s jersey retirement becomes a perfectly timed tribute

A’ja’s decision to attend South Carolina nearly a decade ago was historic—at just 18 years old, she was the only top-100 prospect left to commit to a collegiate program at the time. “I’ll be attending the University of South Carolina,” she announced alongside her parents, forever changing the trajectory of the program.

Her head coach, Dawn Staley, summed it up perfectly back when her statue was unveiled: “A’ja was a powerful force in our program, our campus, and our community through everything that she accomplished on the court and the person she was off it. This statue in front of this arena is an equally powerful force.”

And now, that tribute is getting an addition—her No. 22 jersey will hang in the rafters, serving as a lasting symbol of her unparalleled contributions. But what makes this moment even more unique is that another No. 22 jersey—belonging to Caitlin Clark at Iowa—will also be retired on the exact same day. Two basketball legends, sharing the same jersey number, having their iconic moments simultaneously—it’s poetic, really.

As Dawn Staley urged, “We need every seat filled as we welcome back home our real-life statue.” When A’ja Wilson’s jersey rises to the rafters, it’ll be a testament to her lasting impact on South Carolina basketball and beyond.

So, what’s your take? Is the timing of this honor spot-on, or do you think it should’ve happened sooner? Either way, there’s no denying it’ll be a historic moment for Gamecocks fans everywhere.