“It’s Always Gamecocks Up”: Boston, Gray and Wilson Reunite on Team Spoon for WNBA All-Star Weekend

Aliyah Boston has touched down in Chicago, ready to take the court alongside fellow South Carolina alumnae Allisha Gray and A’ja Wilson — all three suiting up for Team Spoon at the 2026 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game. It marks the fourth-straight season the trio has been selected for All-Star honors, tying South Carolina for the most alumnae represented at this year’s event.

A reunion years in the making

Boston’s excitement was evident in her arrival comments: “I’m excited. It’s always Gamecocks up, baby. So, I got you. So excited — have some fun!” That greeting captures something real about this trio’s history — this isn’t just three talented players who happen to share a college background. Wilson, Boston and Gray have built a genuine bond dating back to their South Carolina days, and their continued togetherness at All-Star weekends year after year reflects both individual excellence and a shared foundation that predates their professional careers.

How the teams came together

This year’s format brought its own twist. Hall of Famers Cynthia Cooper and Teresa Weatherspoon served as honorary general managers, drafting from a pool of 22 All-Stars to build Team Coop and Team Spoon. Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark earned the second-most fan votes and landed on Team Spoon, and Weatherspoon then used her first pick on four-time MVP A’ja Wilson before rounding out her starting five with Olivia Miles, Aliyah Boston and Jessica Shepard. Allisha Gray followed as part of the bench group Weatherspoon assembled, joining Rhyne Howard, Jonquel Jones, Courtney Williams, Kiki Iriafen and Nneka Ogwumike.

That draft sequencing is worth noting: Weatherspoon selecting Wilson with her very first pick, followed by Boston rounding out the starting frontcourt, meant two-thirds of South Carolina’s trio ended up together before the roster was even fully built — with Gray joining shortly after in the bench phase. Whether by design or simple recognition of talent, the Gamecocks contingent landed on the same side once again.

A fourth-straight year of shared recognition

This continues a genuinely remarkable stretch for South Carolina’s professional pipeline. Boston and Wilson were both named starters this year, based on a combined vote from fans, media and current WNBA players, while Gray earned her spot as a reserve through voting by the league’s 15 head coaches — each of whom selected three guards, five frontcourt players and four additional players regardless of position. Being chosen through two entirely different voting mechanisms and still ending up on the same roster is a testament to how each player has carved out undeniable value in very different ways: Wilson and Boston as frontcourt anchors judged by broad popularity and performance, and Gray as a reserve whose consistency and two-way impact earned her peers’ and coaches’ respect specifically.

Setting the stage in Chicago

The 2026 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game tips off Saturday, July 25, at Chicago’s United Center, with Team Spoon wearing blue uniforms reminiscent of the league’s original 1997 colors, opposite Team Coop in red. Beyond the game itself, Team Spoon will support Girls in the Game, a Chicago-based organization partnering with local schools, parks and community centers to provide sports, health and leadership programming — giving this year’s event a community dimension layered on top of the on-court competition.

Why this trio keeps showing up together

For a program to place three alumnae on the same All-Star roster four years running isn’t just a testament to South Carolina’s talent pipeline under Dawn Staley — it’s a reflection of just how much staying power each of these three players has individually sustained at the WNBA’s highest level. Wilson remains one of the most dominant forces in the league; Boston has built a four-time All-Star résumé as one of the game’s premier frontcourt talents; and Gray has quietly become one of the WNBA’s most reliable two-way guards. Watching all three take the floor together again Saturday, this time on Team Spoon, is as much a celebration of South Carolina’s basketball legacy as it is of any individual accomplishment this season.

About The Author