A’ja Wilson Surprises North Carolina Women’s Basketball Team After Victory

A’ja Wilson, who recently completed a remarkable unanimous MVP season, made a surprise visit to the Tar Heels’ locker room following their victory over the Miami Hurricanes on Sunday afternoon.

The North Carolina women’s basketball team triumphed over Miami with a score of 69-60, and post-game, they were honored by a special visitor: A’ja Wilson, a star player from the Las Vegas Aces and one of the most celebrated figures in women’s basketball. Despite not being an alumnus of either team, Wilson’s elite status in the sport made her visit to the locker room a memorable occasion.

The excitement in the Tar Heels’ locker room was palpable as Wilson entered after their significant win, and the reaction was captured on video.

Currently ranked #17 overall with a record of 13-2, the North Carolina women’s basketball team has seen standout performances from guard Alyssa Gustby, who averages 8.9 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game, as well as Gakdeng, who contributes 10.4 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. Gakdeng, the Tar Heels’ leading scorer with 21 points in this game, took to Twitter/X after the match to share her astonishment: “The way I couldn’t believe my eyes.”

Although A’ja Wilson is not a Tar Heels alum—having played for the South Carolina Gamecocks, where she led them to a national championship in 2017—her presence was a huge thrill for the players in the locker room.

Wilson’s accomplishments are remarkable; she just concluded a unanimous MVP season during which she set WNBA records for scoring and rebounding. At just 28 years old, she is already a two-time WNBA champion, a two-time Defensive Player of the Year, and a three-time MVP.

Even though her visit was not specifically to support North Carolina, the Tar Heels made sure to capture the moment with a photo alongside Wilson to mark the occasion.