Basketball Star A'ja Wilson's 5 Favorite Places in Las Vegas

New York Times

16-07-2025

A'ja Wilson's pro career began with a winning bet.
In 2018, the W.N.B.A.'s Las Vegas Aces franchise was new to town. The team went all in on its No. 1 overall pick and drafted Ms. Wilson, the University of South Carolina center and 2017-18 college player of the year, for its debut season in the city.
They hit the jackpot. Ms. Wilson helped bring Vegas its first (and second) pro sports championships, as well as a fan base that has flocked to games as she's racked up awards: Rookie of the Year, three-time league M.V.P., perennial All-Star, Olympic gold medalist. And she recently joined the exclusive club of W.N.B.A players to get their own signature sneaker: the A'One by Nike.
Initially, though, the lights of the city said to be the brightest spot on earth could have overwhelmed the rising talent from Columbia, S.C., who described herself in an interview as 'inward' and a 'homebody.' She'd visited as a kid with her parents — drawn by her father's love of rodeo — but moving to Vegas was different. 'I never would have imagined living there,' Ms. Wilson said.
Since her arrival, however, the 6-foot-4-inch self-described 'Southern girl' has discovered a dimension that aligns with her down-to-earth nature. Understanding that the city has two sides is 'the biggest thing that helped me feel at home,' she said, noting that the chaotic Strip and the calmer desert areas parallel Columbia's vibrant downtown and quieter countryside.
Thanks to this familiar dichotomy, along with a community she describes as 'full of love,' Vegas has won a place in her heart. 'I've fallen in love with the city,' she said. Here are her five favorite places in her new hometown.
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