South Carolina women's basketball: Three former Gamecocks make All-WNBA teams

Three former Gamecocks made the All-WNBA teams announced on Friday, led by A’ja Wilson.

Wilson was a unanimous selection, making her fifth appearance on the first team and fourth straight. She was also named second team All-WNBA in 2021. Wilson also won her record fourth MVP award this season and was named Co-Defensive Player of the Year. 

Wilson finished first in scoring (23.4) and blocks (2.3) average, second in rebounding average(10.2), and third in steals (1.6) average. She also averaged a career-high 3.1 assists and led the league in efficiency rating, and now has three of the top five seasons of all time (each of the past three seasons).

Wilson is the only player in WNBA history to average at least 20 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and one steal for an entire season. She was also named the AP Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year.

Allisha Gray joined Wilson, her college roommate, on the first team.  Gray began her career with Dallas, but has blossomed since being traded to Atlanta in 2023. She has made the All-Star game each season with the Dream, and took the next step this season under first-year head coach Karl Smesko.

Gray averaged 18.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.1 steals, all career highs, became an All-Star starter for the first time, and finished fourth in the MVP voting. She set Atlanta’s single-season scoring record, and despite numerous injuries, Gray led Atlanta to a tie for the second-best record in the WNBA, also a franchise record for wins.

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This is Gray’s first appearance on an All-WNBA team.

Also making her first appearance on an All-WNBA team is Aliyah Boston, who was named to the second team. Boston was a rock for Indiana, playing all 44 games while the Fever were decimated by injuries. She averaged career-highs of 15.0 points and 3.7 assists plus 8.2 rebounds. With all the injuries to Indiana’s backcourt, Boston led the team in total assists. 

Boston had her WNBA star turn in the playoffs. She hit the game-winner to clinch the first-round upset against Atlanta, and then notched 24 points, 14 rebounds, and five assists to hold off elimination against Las Vegas. In the semifinals, Boston averaged 12.6 points and 12.4 rebounds, plus 3.8 assists and her defense left Wilson uncharacteristically flustered.

The complete All-WNBA teams are:
FIRST TEAM 
Napheesa Collier (Minnesota)
Allisha Gray (Atlanta)
Kelsey Mitchell (Indiana)
Alyssa Thomas (Phoenix)
A’ja Wilson (Las Vegas)

SECOND TEAM 
Paige Bueckers (Dallas)
Aliyah Boston (Indiana)
Sabrina Ionescu (New York)
Nneka Ogwumike (Seattle)
Jackie Young (Las Vegas)

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