Meet A’ja Wilson, a 6-foot-5 junior at University of South Carolina. Oh, and the no. 1 recruit in the espnW HoopGurlz Class of 2014 rankings
She hasn’t become one of the top players in women’s college basketball on her own though. Her dad helped her train from the very beginning, pushing her through drills, some involving a 20-pound vest and a 5-pound ball to help simulate the challenge of defense. (The average basketball weighs about a pound and a third.)
But it was all worth it to A’ja because she wanted to be great – and she is. Basketball runs through the veins of their family. Her dad started his basketball career at Benedict College, a historic black college during a time when the first black players were recruited to Carolina’s court.
“There are still times I say to myself, ‘Gosh dang, A’ja is at USC!’” her dad said. “I see posters of her, billboards. For me, it’s a total fulfillment to see my daughter here, getting her degree.”
