A’ja Wilson Parents: Roscoe C. Wilson Jr. and Eva Rakes Wilson
Matthew Elliott
Updated on January 07, 2026
A’ja Wilson was born to Roscoe C. Wilson Jr and Eva Wilson. Her mother had a court stenographer business while her father played basketball professionally in Europe basketball overseas.
Wilson spent her grade school and high school years as one of the few black students in Heathwood Hall Episcopal School, a southern Columbia private school.
Wilson started the Burnt Wax Candle company and established the A’ja Wilson foundation which advocates for preventing bullying and education around dyslexia. She is part of the WNBA’s social justice council and hosts a podcast with Minnesota Lynx foundation Napheesa Collier.
Wilson counts Nike and Mountain Dew as sponsors and was named to Forbes’ 2021 30 Under 30 list.
