Dawn Staley shouts out ex-Gamecocks stars A'ja Wilson, Aliyah Boston and others for lighting up WNBA on same slate

A'ja Wilson and Aliyah Boston led former South Carolina stars in the WNBA’s Friday slate of games. Wilson had a monster night in the Las Vegas Aces’ 96-81 demolition of the LA Sparks in Sin City. Boston could not lead the Indiana Fever to a win against the Connecticut Sun but was her team’s best player in a thrilling 85-83 loss.

Dawn Staley, the Gamecocks coach since 2008, wrote on X (formerly Twitter) after Friday’s games.

Allisha Gray, who starred with Wilson in 2017 to carry South Carolina to the national championship, received special mention. The Atlanta Dream guard scored a career-high 28 points to help her team hold on for a 94-87 win against the Seattle Storm. Gray shot 8-for-15, including 3-for-6 from deep, and sank 9 of 11 free-throw attempts.

Rookie Te-Hina Paopao earned a mention from Dawn Staley, while Zia Cooke and veteran Tiffany Mitchell got a shout-out as well. Paopao, now a teammate of Gray’s in Atlanta, helped the Dream to a close win in Seattle. Unfortunately for Cooke, she was on the losing Storm side that hosted the Dream. Mitchell came off the bench in the Aces’ win against the Sparks.

Staley, who often watches WNBA games to cheer for her former players, could not help but give them a toast following Friday’s performances.

A'ja Wilson and Aliyah Boston will meet for the first time this season in June

The highly anticipated matchup between A'ja Wilson and Aliyah Boston will happen on June 22 at the T-Mobile Arena. Boston and the Indiana Fever will travel to Las Vegas to face the Aces. The Aces moved the venue from Michelob Ultra to the T-Mobile Arena for the said showdown. If Aces superstar Caitlin Clark returns from a quad injury, the game will be even more highly sought after.

While Clark could headline the showdown, the 1-on-1 duel between two former South Carolina stars will be closely watched. Wilson, who plays power forward or center, will likely get the attention of Boston, who is Indiana’s defensive anchor.

For the Fever to have a chance of pulling off an upset, they need to slow down A'ja Wilson, the three-time and reigning MVP. Whether Clark plays or not, Aliyah Boston must offset Wilson on both ends for Indiana to compete.

About the author

Michael Macasero brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his coverage of basketball at Sportskeeda with over 18 years of diverse work experience. This includes stints at Convergys, Interpace and RunRepeat.

Michael's background in English and Journalism has provided him with the analytical skills and precision necessary for creating content, and he is a lifelong fan of the Boston Celtics. His favorite players include legends like Larry Bird and Michael Jordan, modern stars like Tim Duncan, and Nikola Jokic, as well as emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Michael respects Gregg Popovich, despite his contentious demeanor in interviews, and recognizes Popovich's genius in adapting his coaching style to maximize the talent on his roster over the years. Michael eagerly anticipates seeing how Popovich will structure the offense around emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Understanding the story and details is crucial to Michael's reporting philosophy and he believes overlooking details, particularly when pressed for time, can lead to misunderstandings and inaccurate conclusions.

Aside from work, Michael's children are his hobbies, and he also likes to go running, swimming and weightlifting.

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Edited by Michael Macasero