"I'm coming out of retirement": Dawn Staley playfully reacts to huge surprise from A'ja Wilson's signature shoe line

South Carolina coach Dawn Staley has molded several WNBA stars during her 17-year tenure at the helm of the Gamecocks. One of the most decorated players in the Staley era is Las Vegas Aces star A'ja Wilson who led the Gamecocks to their first national championship in 2017.

Staley and Wilson share a close bond and the duo often banters on social media platforms. On Friday, Wilson sent the South Carolina coach a pair of her “Indigo Girl A'One" shoes.

Staley posted a picture of the pair on X with a hilarious caption:

"Got ‘em! I’m coming out of retirement so I can get buckets and stops in my A’Ones @aja22wilson."

Staley helped to promote Wilson's shoe launch by appearing in a Nike commercial last month.

Dawn Staley and A'ja Wilson share a close relationship

Dawn Staley invited A'ja Wilson to one of her basketball camps in 2009 when she first arrived in South Carolina. Staley was not impressed by her but years later, the dominant center worked herself into the No. 1 recruit in the country and she chose to play for the Gamecocks.

Wilson helped the Gamecocks to new heights and was the first player in the history of the Southeastern Conference to win the SEC Player of the Year thrice. In 2017, she was crowned the Final Four's Most Outstanding Player.

A'ja Wilson was selected No. 1 in the 2018 WNBA draft and Dawn Staley has continued to attend her games maintaining the relationship between the pair.

After winning the WNBA championship with the Aces in 2023, Wilson paid tribute to her relationship with the charismatic Staley during her postgame news conference.

“She’s (Staley) watched me win on every level at this point,” Wilson said. “That’s a special moment between us. Everyone knows in this room, Coach Staley is like my second mom.

“She has really molded me into the player that I am today. She spent countless hours just telling me what I need to do at the pro level. I thought that relationship was kind of going to disappear as I got to a pro [level] but we’ve still stayed together."

Even years after she last coached her in Columbia, Dawn Staley continues her support for A'ja Wilson at every chance, including during the WNBA MVP voting, showing how unique their bond is.