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- A'ja Wilson said watching her beloved South Carolina Gamecocks from the stands during the women's Final Four was "nerve-wracking"
- Since leading the school to its first national championship in 2017, Wilson has won two WNBA MVP awards and two Olympic gold medals
- The WNBA star is debuting her signature shoe next month
Just over a month before she begins her eighth season in the WNBA, A’ja Wilson is savoring her last moments along the sidelines.
The two-time league MVP tells PEOPLE that she was both happy and found it “nerve-wracking” to watch from the stands while her former team, the South Carolina Gamecocks, played at the women’s Final Four in Tampa, Fla.
“My emotions were all over the place, but I'm always proud of my Gamecocks, the way that they have fun, but yet show up for each other,” Wilson, 28, tells PEOPLE, while at an AT&T fan meet-and-greet at Tourney Town during Final Four weekend. “It's truly special to see, so I'm happy.”
And while the team eventually came up short in the championship game, falling to UConn, Wilson’s emotions ran the gamut throughout the weekend.
Related: WNBA Star A’ja Wilson Confirms Romance with NBA's Bam Adebayo — and Reveals His 'Super Dope' Sweet Gesture (Exclusive)
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A'ja Wilson
“Being a fan, obviously, I'm not running up and down the court and you feel helpless, right?” the two-time Olympic gold medalist tells PEOPLE. “But I'm excited just to continue to watch. But it has been a great experience just from a fan standpoint. My days playing in college are long gone, but I'm so glad that they're continuing the legacy that we've built.”
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The Las Vegas Aces star says she is not really scouting future teammates or other players when she watches — but that she’s willing to offer advice, if asked, about what it takes to excel in the pro space.
“I try to talk to teams, I try to talk to players that reach out that want to know,” she tells PEOPLE. “But the biggest advice that I can give is don't change up. You made it here. So continue to do that and don't fix something that's not broken.”
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After Caitlin Clark's and Angel Reese’s breakout seasons last year, Wilson believes there’s no ceiling to future stars’ success in the league.
Related: A'ja Wilson Wins Best Female Athlete at 2024 ESPYS, Says Award Is 'Truly Special to My Heart'
“Obviously the W is a whole other ball of wax,” she says. “We are really, really, really good. But I think here in the collegiate ladder, they have done a great job of just maintaining their own strength, but obviously they're going to get bigger, stronger, faster as they mature. But right now, I think they're exactly where they need to be.”
Right now, Wilson is also excited about something else pretty big: her first signature shoe with Nike, the A’One, set to debut May 6.
With a “Pink A’ura” colorway, the shoes are personal for Wilson, featuring nods to beloved family members, not to mention her favorite color.
“Just putting it out there into the world and having so many people love on it,” Wilson says, is what is special about the project. She adds that she went to “every meeting” regarding the shoe’s development.
And as for little girls — and big boys — wearing them?
“When you see young people, young girls and boys want to wear your shoe, want to be a part of your journey and your legacy, that's what it's truly all about for me,” she says. “So I will try not to cry, but it's a big moment.”
The 2025 WNBA Draft, at The Shed in New York City, will air on ESPN on Monday, April 14 at 7:30 p.m. ET.
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