Gamecocks in the WNBA: A’ja Wilson Chases GOAT Status While Allisha Gray Delivers in the Clutch

South Carolina’s professional alumnae delivered one of their most eventful weeks of the season, headlined by a game-winning shot from Allisha Gray and a historic scoring surge from A’ja Wilson that has her closing in on her own all-time records. Here’s a full breakdown of how every Gamecock fared across the league.

A’ja Wilson is playing some of the best basketball of her career — again

No storyline this week matters more than what Wilson is doing in Las Vegas. Across three games — 28 points against Portland, 33 against New York, and a monstrous 36-point outburst in a narrow loss at Chicago — Wilson has climbed to 13th on the WNBA’s all-time scoring list while pushing her season average to 26.77 points per game. That number sits remarkably close to her own record-setting 2024 campaign, when she averaged 26.87 points en route to setting the league’s all-time single-season scoring mark. In other words, Wilson isn’t just having a great year by normal standards — she’s within a hair of matching the most prolific scoring season in league history, with her own name occupying both ends of that comparison.

Her statistical footprint goes well beyond raw scoring, too. She notched her seventh career 30-point, 10-rebound, 5-assist game, tying Candace Parker for the most such performances in WNBA history, and recorded her 32nd career 30-point double-double — a total that leaves the next closest player 15 games behind her. That kind of sustained, franchise-record-setting production this deep into a season suggests Wilson isn’t fading as the year wears on; if anything, she’s accelerating.

Las Vegas also saw developmental player Ta’Niya Latson get activated for the first time since joining the Aces, scoring her first basket on a breakaway layup against Portland — a small but meaningful step for a player who had spent most of the season on the inactive list.

Allisha Gray opens the week with a signature moment

Atlanta’s Allisha Gray produced the week’s most dramatic highlight, burying a game-winning shot in an 82-81 win over Dallas. She followed that up with a strong 16-point, two-block effort in a win over Seattle, continuing to anchor Atlanta’s offense at 19.2 points per game across 28 starts. Gray closed out her week off the court as well, announcing her own signature Nike sunglasses line — a reminder that her profile continues growing alongside her on-court production.

The same can’t be said for two of her Atlanta teammates. Madina Okot, despite ranking second in the entire league in field goal percentage, has seen her minutes nearly disappear since Brionna Jones returned from injury — playing just three minutes against Dallas and sitting out entirely against Seattle for coach’s decision. Te-Hina Paopao, meanwhile, has now missed four consecutive games with a lingering right leg injury. Atlanta faces a demanding week ahead with Las Vegas, Phoenix and Washington all on the schedule.

Chicago’s Cardoso quietly building a career year

Kamilla Cardoso continues to have arguably the best season of her career, currently sitting fifth in the WNBA in field goal percentage. She exploded for 26 points against Connecticut, then followed with a modest scoring night but a dominant 12-rebound, 2-assist performance in a tight win over Las Vegas — a result notable simply because close wins have been rare for a Chicago team still working its way toward .500. That rebounding effort also pushed Cardoso into fifth place on the franchise’s all-time rebounding list, a notable organizational milestone. Chicago has a loaded week coming, including a marquee matchup against Indiana on August 8.

Golden State’s Amihere: efficient when given the chance

Laeticia Amihere turned in one of her more efficient outings of the season, scoring 12 points in just 13 minutes in a narrow loss at Phoenix, before her role shrank to only five minutes in a blowout win over Toronto. That inconsistency in playing time — despite solid per-minute production — reflects how deep Golden State’s rotation has become as the Valkyries continue pushing near the top of the standings at 20-9.

Indiana: an injury scare for Boston, and continued frustration for Johnson

Aliyah Boston’s week included both strong production and a genuine health scare. She posted a complete stat line against Portland — 14 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 5 steals and 2 blocks — before adding 15 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists in a loss to Minnesota. In between, though, she tangled up and fell awkwardly on her right knee against Seattle, forcing her out of the game early. She’s remained on the injury report since, though early signs suggest the issue isn’t serious.

Raven Johnson’s rookie struggles continued in a different form this week. She picked up the first DNP-Coach’s Decision of her professional career against Seattle, then managed just five combined minutes across the following two games. Notably, that limited usage came even during a week when fellow guard Tyasha Harris was also relatively quiet, suggesting Johnson’s playing time issues run deeper than simply losing a positional battle to a hot hand. Indiana closes the week with a home matchup against Las Vegas before traveling to face Chicago.

Portland and Seattle: managing setbacks and mixed nights

Sania Feagin’s season remains over following her torn left ACL, though her successful July 22 surgery keeps her long-term outlook positive even with this year lost entirely.

In Seattle, Zia Cooke posted a solid 10-point night against Indiana before falling off to just 2 points against Atlanta — a swing best explained by the quality of opposing defenses she faced, going from one of the league’s weaker perimeter units to one of its strongest. Seattle continues to search for consistency at 6-25 on the season.

What to watch this week

With A’ja Wilson now within striking distance of her own scoring records, Boston’s knee status still being monitored in Indiana, and Johnson still searching for a consistent role as her rookie season progresses, this stretch of games should offer real clarity on several of the season’s biggest lingering storylines heading into the season’s final stretch.

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