Wilson to Represent U.S. at 2018 FIBA World Cup
COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina alumna A’ja Wilson (Class of 2018) is one of 12 players named to the USA Basketball Women’s World Cup Team today and will join Gamecock head coach Dawn Staley in representing the United States at the 2018 FIBA World Cup in Tenerife, Spain, Sept. 22-30. While Wilson has donned a USA Basketball uniform in four other international competitions, this marks her first selection to a senior national team, making her the first Gamecock to represent the U.S. at that level since Shannon Johnson was part of the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team.
“I’m incredibly proud of A’ja for making the final roster of our World Cup team,” Staley said. “She showed she belonged by her plan on both sides of the ball. I’m looking forward to working with her in this capacity, but we will always be representing the Garnet and Black.”
In five games leading up to the 2018 World Cup, Wilson was the U.S. team’s top scorer at 16.6 points per game on 56.6 percent shooting, adding five blocks and seven steals. She was the team’s top scorer in both domestic exhibition games – 15 vs. Canada, 26 vs. Japan – and led the way in the first two games of the tournament in Antibes, France, as well.
Prior to this selection, Wilson has won gold medals at the 2013 FIBA U19 World Cup, the 2014 FIBA Americas U18 Cup and the 2015 FIBA U19 World Cup. She picked up MVP honors at the 2014 and 2015 events and went on to be named 2015 USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year. Wilson was also part of the team that competed in 2017 U23 Four Nations Tournament in Tokyo, Japan, although an injury prevented her from playing in that event.
The USA Basketball Women’s World Cup Team is made up of players who have amassed a combined 23 Olympic and World Cup gold medals and an overall 669-39 (.945) record in USA Basketball games played.
In addition to Wilson, the team includes Sue Bird, Tina Charles, Layshia Clarendon, Elena Della Donne, Brittney Griner, Jewell Loyd, Nneka Ogwumike, Kelsey Plum, Breanna Stewart, Diana Taurasi and Morgan Tuck.
Assisting Staley through the World Cup are Dan Hughes (Seattle Storm), Cheryl Reeve (Minnesota Lynx) and Jennifer Rizzotti (George Washington).
USA Basketball Women’s National Team director Carol Callan chairs the USA Basketball Women’s National Team Player Selection Committee, which includes three-time Olympic and two-time World Cup gold medalist Katie Smith as the athlete representative; representing the WNBA is Connecticut Sun head coach Curt Miller and Los Angeles Sparks general manager Penny Toler; and University of Connecticut head coach Geno Auriemma, who coached USA teams to gold medals at the past two Olympics and FIBA World Cups, serves as a special advisor.
