A’ja Wilson trolls Dawn Staley’s ridiculously oversized hat ahead of LSU game

A’ja Wilson trolls Dawn Staley’s ridiculously oversized hat

Thee Dawn Staley had WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson in tears thanks to a ridiculous hat she rocked on the bench ahead of South Carolina’s showdown against LSU.

South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley celebrates with forward A’ja Wilson after a win over Mississippi State.

Reigning WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson and South Carolina Gamecocks women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley have an incredible bond. After A’ja stayed home in Columbia to play for Thee Dawn Staley, she helped lead the Gamecocks to a national championship and won Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Tournament.

A’ja and Coach Staley are now family, and with that comes some friendly back-and-forth.

So when the Las Vegas Aces star saw a photo of Dawn Staley rocking a ridiculously oversized hat, she couldn’t help but respond on social media.

A’ja reposted the photo that had her laughing in tears.

A’ja Wilson, Dawn Staley, South Carolina women’s basketball

Coach Staley and the No. 2 Gamecocks will take the court against the No. 5 LSU Tigers in an epic SEC showdown on Friday evening. The game was originally scheduled for Thursday night but a historic snowstorm thwarted the Lady Tigers’ travels.

A’ja, meanwhile, will be returning to Columbia in February to have her No. 22 jersey retired.

A’ja Wilson, Dawn Staley, South Carolina women’s basketball

South Carolina Gamecocks forward A’ja Wilson and head coach Dawn Staley hold the championship trophy after defeating Mississippi State. / Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images

During her 2024 MVP run, A’ja averaged 26.9 points, 11.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 2.6 blocks per game. She led the league in points and blocks while becoming the first WNBA player in history to surpass 1,000 points in a season.

If A’ja’s WNBA season wasn’t impressive enough, she added a gold medal over the summer with Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Aja'a Wilson