A'ja Wilson acknowledges 6x WNBA All-Star after receiving 2024 Dawn Staley Award

By Ethen Hutton

Modified Aug 23, 2024 02:57 GMT

Amid a historic WNBA season, A'ja Wilson received the Dawn Staley Community Leadership Award for her charity work and generosity within the community.

A'ja Wilson founded her charity in 2019, the A'ja Wilson Foundation. The A'ja Wilson Foundation pledges to make a difference in the community for children struggling with dyslexia and bullying.

Throughout the last year or so, Wilson's Foundation hosted a back-to-school event in Columbia, South Carolina to donate school supplies ahead of the start of the academic year and hosted the Unapologetic Girls Summit.

A'ja Wilson took to X to celebrate the honor and shout out to her college head coach and WNBA legend, Dawn Staley.

"Blessings 🤍 🙏🏽 @dawnstaley," Wilson posted to X.

Dawn Staley coached A'ja Wilson for four years at the University of South Carolina, where Wilson went on to have one of the most storied collegiate basketball careers of any player in history.

Staley coached Wilson and the Gamecocks to a national championship in the 2016-17 season, where Wilson won the tournament's Most Outstanding Player award.

Under Dawn Staley, A'ja Wilson was named to three first-team All-American teams, and four first-team All-SEC teams, winning AP Player of the Year, the Wooden Award and the Lisa Leslie Award during her senior season in 2017-18.

The Dawn Staley Community Leadership Award was founded in 2008, and given to a WNBA player who exemplifies leadership, charity and spirit for the game of basketball.

The award is given annually and the winner receives $10,000 from the WNBA to put to a charity of the player's choice.

A'ja Wilson on pace for one of the greatest single-season performances in WNBA history

Through 27 games this season, A'ja Wilson had led the Las Vegas Aces to a 17-10 record, posting arguably the best single-season stat line in WNBA history.

In 34.1 minutes per game, Wilson is averaging 26.9 points, 11.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 2.0 steals and 2.7 blocks. If the season ended today, Wilson would break the WNBA single-season record for points per game and rebounds per game.

Wilson could break Diana Taurasi's record of 25.3 points per game, set in 2006, and Sylvia Fowles' record of 11.8 rebounds per game set in 2018.

The Aces forward remains the favorite to win WNBA Most Valuable Player with -3500 odds. A'ja Wilson has also made a compelling case for WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, competing with Napheesa Collier for the award.

Wilson could win WNBA MVP and DPOY for the seventh time in WNBA history and the second time in her career, winning both awards in the same season in 2022.