Long before the bright lights of the W and the viral interviews, A’ja Wilson was just a quiet girl in South Carolina who once hesitated to read aloud in front of her friends. Let alone in front of the cameras. “Popcorn reading” was her worst nightmare. And the teachers repeatedly told her to “try harder” or said she was being “lazy.” Later, during her sophomore year, they discovered that she had dyslexia. That’s when her parents, Eva and Roscoe Jr., stepped in. They went to her college coach, Dawn Staley, and shared everything. That made things simpler for A’ja as she gradually got comfortable reading aloud in front of her teammates. Now, as she is embracing the role of an international star, her mother still has her back, even for the littlest things.

With her support system firmly in her corner, A’ja Wilson stormed back from a wrist injury like she never left. Last night, she dropped her seventh double-double of the season and her third 30-point game, but this one came with history attached. Wilson poured in 36 points, grabbed 16 rebounds, and swatted two shots, all while shooting a blistering 12-for-16 from the field. That’s 75% shooting, making her the first player in WNBA history to post that stat line with at least 70% FG accuracy. The stat sheet lit up. But so did the postgame scene, just… differently. A’ja rolled in wearing a bright red durag and dark sunglasses. Add in the black compression sleeve on her arm from her sprained wrist, and you can guess that her mom is somewhere side-eyeing the outfit.

And sure enough, right in the middle of the presser, as an interviewer was asking her a game-related question, A’ja suddenly paused. She just glanced down at her lap, kept her hand on her face, and went completely blank. “Oh, sorry. Can you say that one more time?” she asked. Then she burst into pure laughter. Why the sudden distraction, though? Turns out it was a hilarious, perfectly timed text from her mom that she was reading.

“My mom just sent me a picture of the way I look on this press conference,” A’ja revealed. And just like classic moms, “She was like, ‘Why?’ Okay, Mom. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” Wilson kept laughing and saying sorry while removing the durag, and the interview continued from there. Just don’t confuse her spontaneous courtside look with her carefully crafted Fashion Week fits. Earlier this year, while making her Vogue-featured debut as a VIP guest, A’ja explained,  “I aimed to wear something that stood out and made a statement. While also giving me that comfort and pop of confidence.”

To be fair, the strategy worked there. She even sat front row at shows like KidSuper, Doublet, and Sacai, and did it all while serving looks that screamed runway-ready. Back then, she sported a structured two-piece set with a plush fur coat, an oversized skirt suit with chunky combat boots. Wilson even nailed that effortless Parisian cool by pairing a khaki trench coat with baggy cream trousers. But fast forward to last night, let’s just say, the statement was made, but by her mom.

A’ja Wilson Repaying her Mother

A’ja Wilson’s rise isn’t just about raw skill. It’s built on a lot of love, sacrifice, and the lessons that her mom, Eva Wilson, gave to her. Eva was always the force behind A’ja’s growth as both a player and a person. “There’s always going to be people around that will always be trying to make you feel lesser than, and you are not lesser than,” Eva told Andscape. “I made sure that A’ja understood that… If you can’t stand up for yourself, call me. I will.”

Those tough-love mornings that were packed with discipline and motivation forged A’ja’s drive. It even pushed her enough to be the No. 1 WNBA draft spot in 2018. From there onwards, she straight-up stacked awards. She won Rookie of the Year, two WNBA titles, three MVP trophies, and seven All-Star nods. But no matter how high she climbs, A’ja never loses sight of who got her to that level.

“…Without them there is no me. Without them taking those sacrifices and driving me to those AAU games where I played zero minutes,” she told The Washington Post. In a Boardroom sit-down, she also explained how she’s returning the favor. “The only tangible thing I really did for my mom was retire her so she could be around me more.” And about her dad? While laughing, she said, “My dad says, ‘I’m living my dream watching my daughter live hers.’” That’s A’ja Wilson and her family for you, full of love and laughter.