Parents of Las Vegas Aces star A'ja Wilson are HBCU alumni
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Las Vegas Aces star A'ja Wilson's basketball legacy is deeply intertwined with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) through her father, Roscoe Wilson Jr. Despite attending the University of South Carolina and playing under legendary coach Dawn Staley, Wilson's journey reflects a connection to HBCU heritage that has shaped her career.
Roscoe Wilson Jr., a former standout at Benedict College, played for the team from 1969 to 1973, earning a degree in Physical Education and Biology. He became the first Benedict player to play professional basketball in Europe. Although he aspired to play at USC, he enrolled at Benedict due to the lack of African American players at USC at the time, with the first joining the team the year after Wilson went to Benedict.
At Benedict, Wilson was a dominant force in the post, ranking eighth in the nation in rebounding as a sophomore with an average of 22.5 rebounds per game and a game-high of 35 rebounds. He earned three All-SIAC and All-NAIA selections and was named a Small College All-American after his sophomore season. Wilson played overseas from 1974 to 1984, competing for multiple teams across seven countries.
Following his playing career overseas where he played for several different countries, Wilson transitioned into coaching, serving at Morris College before returning to Benedict as the head men's basketball coach. Though his career did not reach the NBA, his daughter, A'ja Wilson, has risen to become one of the premier players in women's basketball.
On Sunday night, A'ja Wilson, the Aces forward and 2018 first overall WNBA draft pick, scored the first-ever 1,000 points in a single season. Over her six-year career, she has secured back-to-back WNBA championships in 2022 and 2023, three gold medals, two MVP awards, and numerous All-Star selections.
Despite the distance from his own playing days, Roscoe Wilson's influence remains profound. A'ja Wilson has often credited her father's support and early coaching as pivotal to her success. "Without him putting that basketball in my hand, there would be no A'ja Wilson," she said in a 2016 Gamecocks interview. She added, "I just want to give him that feeling of being proud, just knowing that okay, I'm A'ja Wilson's dad, everything's going to pay off in the end."
From the early 1970s at Benedict College to A'ja Wilson's own achievements, including having a statue erected in her honor at the same institution where her father couldn't play at, it is clear that Roscoe Wilson's legacy and impact extends beyond his own career, highlighting the enduring significance of HBCU contributions to basketball.
The post Parents of Las Vegas Aces star A'ja Wilson are HBCU alumni appeared first on ClutchPoints.
