UNC Women's Basketball Team Had Heartwarming Reaction to Surprise Visit From A'ja Wilson

The South Carolina alum surprised a former rival team and they loved it.
The North Carolina women's basketball team gets a visit from South Carolina alum and WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson after a win.
The North Carolina women's basketball team gets a visit from South Carolina alum and WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson after a win. / Screengrab via North Carolina women's basketball (@uncwbb) on X/Twitter.

A'ja Wilson has reached basketball's peak at only 28 years old. She's a two-time WNBA champion with the Las Vegas Aces, three-time MVP, two-time Defensive Player of the Year, two-time gold medal winner with Team USA, six-time WNBA All-Star, the accolades go on and on.

So when basketball royalty comes to visit, even an ex-rival school takes a bow. Wilson, an NCAA champion with South Carolina in 2017 and the tournament's Most Outstanding Player, paid a surprise visit to the North Carolina women's basketball team in their locker room following a win over the Miami Hurricanes on Sunday.

"Good win guys," Wilson said as she walked in the locker room which started a celebration amongst the current Tar Heels' players.

UNC's Alyssa Ustby couldn't believe it, covering her mouth and repeating "oh my god!" at the surprise from the basketball star.

Although Wilson didn't sport Gamecocks' gear, she had on some South Carolina colors with a red bandana and a maroon-accented Nike basketball tee. That didn't matter, though, amongst the sea of Tar Heel blue.

The entire North Carolina squad was overcome with emotion as Wilson could only respond with "relax" through a big smile and laughs. The bordering state schools are rivals, but Wilson's stardom crosses those lines and spreads across the basketball globe.


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Blake Silverman
BLAKE SILVERMAN

Blake Silverman is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Before joining SI in November 2024, he covered the WNBA, NBA, G League and college basketball for numerous sites, including Winsidr, SB Nation's Detroit Bad Boys and A10Talk. He graduated from Michigan State University before receiving a master's in sports journalism from St. Bonaventure University. Outside of work, he's probably binging the latest Netflix documentary, at a yoga studio or enjoying everything Detroit sports. A lifelong Michigander, he lives in suburban Detroit with his wife, young son and their personal petting zoo of two cats and a dog.