Gamecocks in the Pros: Wilson’s Historic Run, Amihere’s Career Night Headline Another Busy WNBA Week
Former South Carolina stars continued to make their mark across the WNBA last week, with two performances standing out above the rest — A’ja Wilson padding an already historic season, and Laeticia Amihere delivering the best game of her career at exactly the right moment.
Las Vegas Aces (26-13)
Wilson remains the headline act of any Gamecocks WNBA roundup. Across three games last week — a loss to Atlanta, a win over Connecticut, and a win over Toronto in Vancouver — she averaged well above her already elite season numbers, highlighted by a 27-point, 14-rebound, four-block outburst against Atlanta and a 27-point, seven-assist showcase against Toronto. On the season, Wilson is putting up 26.0 points, 9.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 2.0 blocks, and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 40.7% from three — MVP-caliber production by any measure. The milestones keep piling up, too: last week she notched her 191st career 20-point game and her 100th career 25-point game, both of which rank second all-time in league history. She also now has 18 twenty-point double-doubles this season alone — double the total of second-place Angel Reese, and more than the next two players on that list combined. Developmental player Ta’Niya Latson has seen limited but growing minutes with Las Vegas, including a two-minute, one-point appearance in the Toronto win.
Golden State Valkyries (25-11)
Amihere authored the signature performance of the week among all Gamecocks alumnae. After a DNP-CD against Minnesota, she responded with a career night against Chicago, tying her career high with 24 minutes played while setting new personal bests with 16 points on a perfect 7-for-7 shooting, to go with six rebounds, an assist, and a steal. It’s the kind of complete performance that shows exactly why Golden State has kept her in the rotation despite inconsistent playing time — she’s averaging 3.5 points and 3.3 rebounds in just 11.5 minutes per game on the season, but flashes like this one hint at more upside when she gets extended run.
Indiana Fever (25-14)
Aliyah Boston sat out Sunday’s win over Chicago to rest a sore right leg, but not before another strong week that included a 22-point, six-assist outing against New York. On the season, she’s averaging 17.0 points, 8.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.2 blocks while shooting an efficient 41.7% from three — well-rounded production for a Fever team currently sitting fifth in the standings. Her absence Sunday opened the door for developmental player Bree Hall, activated for the third time this season, who made the most of one minute of action by knocking down a three-pointer. Guards Tyasha Harris and Raven Johnson continue to see modest minutes but have struggled to find consistent impact.
Atlanta Dream (24-13)
Allisha Gray remains the model of consistency for Atlanta, filling the stat sheet in every game — 21 points and three steals against Las Vegas, 13 points against Los Angeles, and 17 points with five rebounds and four assists against Phoenix, part of a season average of 19.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game. Madina Okot has become a valuable bench contributor since re-entering Atlanta’s rotation, highlighted by a 12-point, six-rebound game against Los Angeles. Te-Hina Paopao is still working her way back from a leg injury, but her shooting touch is returning, evidenced by a 2-for-4 night from three against Los Angeles. Atlanta currently sits fourth in the standings, one spot ahead of Indiana for home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
Chicago Sky (15-23)
Kamilla Cardoso continued her strong post-All-Star stretch despite Chicago’s loss to Indiana on Sunday. She strung together three consecutive double-doubles, including a 17-point, 12-rebound, four-assist game against New York, and remains among the top five shot-blockers in the WNBA. Her season averages of 14.7 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks reflect a player who has become one of the league’s most productive young bigs.
Seattle Storm (7-31) and Portland Fire (15-22)
Zia Cooke remains a steady if unspectacular contributor for a struggling Seattle team, averaging 7.4 points and 1.7 rebounds per game. Portland’s Sania Feagin remains sidelined after tearing her left ACL, an injury announced July 9 that will keep her out for the remainder of the season following successful surgery on July 22.
With the regular season winding down, several of these Gamecocks alumnae — particularly Wilson, Boston, and Cardoso — remain central figures for playoff-caliber teams jockeying for postseason positioning over the season’s final stretch.
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