A’ja Wilson Joined Nike’s Signature Family
Athletic powerhouse, Nike, declared on last Saturday that two-time WNBA champion from Las Vegas Aces, Wilson, is the latest addition to their signature family. An official statement revealed that Nike has collaborated with Wilson over the past year to craft a signature collection, influenced by her unique style, great athletic performance, and candid authenticity, inclusive of a sneaker.
Nike urged Wilson’s supporters to head over to Ofcourseihaveashoe.com for extra information in their statement. On the website, Nike released an announcement regarding Wilson’s merchandise and unveiled the A’One as the name of her shoe.
“You thought we’d sleep on an SEC champion, national champion, #1 draft pick, five-time All-Star, U.S. Olympic gold winner, WNBA Finals MVP, a statue-having, New York Times Best Seller, TIME 100 Most Influential People in 2024, two-time Defensive Player of the Year, two-time WNBA MVP, and pettiest hooper on the internet?” — Nike
“It’s been incredible working with Nike toward a dream of having my collection, and it really is an honor to take this next step and become a Nike signature athlete. From my logo to the look of the shoe and the pieces throughout the collection, we’ve worked to make sure every detail is perfectly tuned to my game and style.” — Wilson
Nike has officially announced that Wilson’s signature line will feature options for women, men, and children. The collection will be available worldwide through Nike.com, the Snkrs app, and certain retail locations by 2025.
Wilson expressed her satisfaction with the design process, stating that it brought her immense joy. Her primary requests were to craft a style that is both lightweight and cozy for the lengthy periods she spends playing tennis, while also being aesthetically pleasing.
“It’s versatile, and I hope people will wear it when they’re hooping but also just when they’re walking around every day. It’s so exciting to be sharing my signature, a piece of me, with the world.” — Wilson
Wilson expressed in the statement that her shoe and collection are intended to inspire women and girls to achieve their ambitious aspirations.
“I hope when girls wear this shoe, they believe in themselves. I want them to hopefully lace them up, feel powerful and understand that nobody can stop them from their dreams. Set those goals high. Go get them — that’s the biggest thing.” — Wilson
According to a statement, Wilson’s collection’s lead footwear designer, Ben Nethongkome, mentioned that the basketball player was prompt in sharing her ideas on how she wanted her signature shoe to look and perform. The design team was able to bring her vision to reality with the help of her collaborative spirit and enthusiastic energy.
“The experience working with A’ja on her collection reflects who she is on the court and in the locker room. She’s a natural leader. I think her team is built around her and she’s able to be that leader, that voice. She makes everyone feel comfortable to be who they are. And that, I feel like, was the secret sauce in working together on this collection.” — Nethongkome
Wilson’s rise to fame as a prominent athlete has been highly anticipated by both her supporters and colleagues. In fact, during the 2024 WNBA Draft, Caitlin Clark from the Indiana Fever expressed her desire for Wilson to have her very own line of shoes.
In addition to securing two championships with the Aces, she was recognized as the WNBA Finals MVP in 2023. She has also been awarded the titles of WNBA MVP twice and WNBA Defensive Player of the Year twice. Wilson’s collegiate career was equally impressive, as she led the South Carolina Gamecocks to victory in the 2017 NCAA championship and was recognized as the NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player.
