A'ja Wilson Picked as USBWA National Player of the Year

March 30, 2018

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina senior forward A’ja Wilson added another national player of the year honor with the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award, the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) announced at a press conference today. The organization’s members across the nation voted on the award.

Wilson has also collected national player of the year recognition from USA Today, espnW and the Associated Press in addition to bringing home the WBCA Wade Trophy. She remains a finalist for the Naismith Trophy, which will be announced on Sat., March 31, and the Wooden Award, which will be awarded on Fri., April 6.

In choosing to play for the flagship university of her home state, Wilson helped unite South Carolinians in a re-energized love of women’s basketball as the Gamecocks led the nation in average attendance in each of her four seasons in the Garnet and Black. South Carolina has drawn at least 12,000 fans per season each of the past four seasons, including this season’s 13,239 average.

On the court, Wilson is the program’s first four-time All-American, including three seasons as a consensus first-team selection. The first three-time SEC Player of the Year in league history, she is among the nation’s most versatile players. As a senior, she ranks among the country’s top 10 in scoring (22.6 ppg), blocked shots (3.2 bpg), double-doubles (24), defensive rebounds (8.0 per game), free throws made (186) and free throw attempts (254). Her 11.8 rebounds per game are 11th-best in the country.

Wilson joins former SEC greats Saudia Roundtree (Georgia, 1996), Chamique Holdsclaw (Tennessee, 1998 and 1999), Tamika Catchings (Tennessee, 2000), Seimone Augusts (LSU, 2005) and Candace Parker (Tennessee, 2007 and 2008) as the league’s all-time winners of the USBWA Player of the Year award.