South Carolina women's basketball: From A'ja Wilson to Jerzy Robinson, women's basketball is barely recognizable

On Saturday, South Carolina’s incoming freshman Jerzy Robinson held an event in Columbia to celebrate the release of the second edition of A’ja Wilson’s signature shoes. The event brought together three distinct chapters of Gamecock women’s basketball and brought into focus the incredible changes in women’s basketball in the last 10-15 years.

The event, held at Foot Locker, took the form of a mock talk show, aligning with Nike’s “The A’ja Wilson Show” marketing campaign for the A’Twos. Former Gamecock Olivia Thompson acted as the host, with Robinson as her guest.

Wilson was absent because she was preparing for the upcoming WNBA season, but her parents were in attendance, and her presence was everywhere. She still comes back to make regular appearances in her hometown.

“A’ja was on my visit with me, and it was genuine, a genuine love that I felt the moment I stepped on the campus,” Robinson said. “It was something I couldn’t say no to.”

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When Wilson committed to South Carolina in 2014, the Gamecocks were an emerging contender. They won their first SEC regular-season championship in 2014, but still had just one Elite Eight appearance in program history.

The Dawn Staley Era at South Carolina can be easily divided into four chapters. We can quibble over the exact years, but basically, there are the building years (2008-13), the contender years (2014-19), the perennial contender years (2020-2023), and the juggernaut years (2024-present)

Wilson represents the contender years, Thompson represents the perennial contender years, and Robinson represents the juggernaut years. Despite the different chapters they represent, it has been just over a decade since Wilson first donned garnet and black. 

It feels like a lifetime.

Wilson, the top-ranked recruit in her class, committed live from Heathwood Hall on ESPNU. She wore a simple green Heathwood Hall shirt. Robinson, the sixth-ranked recruit in her class, committed live in-studio on ESPN’s NBA Today. Nike sends her gear, some of which is customized or unavailable to the public.

Wilson’s first college game was against Southern Cal and aired on SEC Network+, which was barely three months old (people complaining about being unable to find SEC Network+ is the one thing that hasn’t changed). Robinson’s first game will be against Maryland in Paris, likely on ESPN.

Announced attendance for Wilson’s first game was 10,057. South Carolina led the nation in attendance for the first time that season, and it was the last time the Gamecocks had a regular-season crowd of less than 10,000 (excluding the COVID season). The team Robinson joins has a streak of 162 games with at least 10,000 fans. South Carolina had never had a sellout before Wilson, but the Gamecocks have had 20 since 2016, and have averaged over 15,000 per game for three consecutive seasons. 

Wilson played before NIL. She couldn’t appear in commercials or sign endorsement deals. Despite being the national player of the year and one of the most popular athletes in South Carolina, Wilson didn’t make a cent.

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In between, Thompson was part of the first group of players with NIL rights. The big step forward during her career was in 2022 when Under Armour sold shirts with the names of Thompson and her teammates on the back. 

“It’s crazy. Growing up, I don’t think we anticipated anything like this happening this fast. When NIL started in 2022, it’s (only) 2026,” Thompson said. “They’re a Nike school, A’ja’s got a signature shoe. You’ve got kids getting so much love and support. It’s amazing.”

Two years later, in 2024, Robinson signed a Nike endorsement deal as a high school junior. She has already worn custom player edition shoes, and Nike flew her across the country to launch A’Twos before she ever played a college game.

“I’ve been signed to Nike for two years now, I can’t even believe. It’s one of the biggest blessings,” Robinson said. “I’m super excited to be a part of the women’s game right now. I think (Wilson is) at the front of it. She’s pioneering a great way for us. It’s amazing to be a part of.

All of those front-facing economic changes are just the tip of the iceberg. The root of the changes is even more overwhelming. 

In 2014, Wilson was a skinny, unproven hometown kid who played at a tiny local private school. For all of her hype, she was still just a local star.

“This community has pulled her in, adopted her, and loved on her. It’s a lot of pressure being a hometown girl,” said A’ja’s father, Roscoe. “The community has been very, very loving; the church, schools, city, county, have all been very supportive.”

Twelve years later, she is a basketball icon. Her signature shoe and logo are everywhere, and will soon be synonymous with the Gamecocks. She is the best player in the world, and maybe the best player ever, and the program she helped elevate is the most dominant of the past decade.

“Like A’ja always says, don’t get too high with the highs, don’t get too low with the lows, so we try to stay focused and keep a cooler head,” Roscoe said. “But inside? I’m jumping up and down.”

NEW! Message board for South Carolina Women’s Basketball!