The question has been answered.
"Of course, A'ja's got a shoe."
A'ja Wilson revealed on Saturday that she does, indeed, have a signature shoe with Nike in the works. The Las Vegas Aces star and two-time WNBA MVP made a social media post with a picture of herself wearing a hoodie that said, "Of Course I Have A Shoe Dot Com." The website leads to a Nike landing page that lists Wilson's many accomplishments from her time in college as a national champion at South Carolina to her already illustrious WNBA career and her recent inclusion on Time's 100 Most Influential People of 2024 list.
Wilson's sneaker, dubbed the A'One, is due out in 2025.
Nike said in a press release that Wilson, one of the most fashionable players in the WNBA, has been working with the athletic company for more than a year designing a shoe and apparel that embodies all of her.
“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,” Wilson said in a statement. “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. ...
"The design process with Nike was really gratifying, and I didn’t realize how much goes into designing a shoe. My biggest asks were that the shoe was light and comfortable for all the hours I spend on the court, and that it also looks really good. 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.”
The A'One will be available in women's, men's and kid's sizes. Wilson hopes the sneaker will inspire the next generation to dream big. It will be an extension of how she uses her platform to encourage young girls. In February, she released her book, "Dear Black Girls: How to Be True to You."
“I hope when girls wear this shoe, they believe in themselves,” she said. “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.”
Sheryl Swoopes was the first woman basketball player to have a signature sneaker when Nike released the Air Swoopes in 1995. After other players received signature shoes in the late 1990s and early 2000s, adidas partnered with Candace Parker for the Ace Commander in 2010. There was a 10-year gap between when Parker got her first signature shoe and the next woman was given the mark of superstardom. In 2021, Puma announced that Breanna Stewart would be next up. The company unveiled her signature shoe, the Stewie 1, a year later. Wilson is the first Black woman basketball player to receive a signature shoe since Parker.
Wilson's college coach, Dawn Staley, shared some words on Instagram praising her former player and commenting on the timing of the announcement.
"It's called the A'One because she's A1," Staley said. "... A'ja's gonna do it big and sometimes when you do it big, it takes a little bit longer than we want. So let the best work at what they do so they can produce something super special."
While Wilson was en route to winning back-to-back championships with the Aces last season, a reporter asked what she and head coach Becky Hammon thought of the five-time All-Star not having a signature shoe yet. Wilson also lost the season MVP to Breanna Stewart and received a fourth-place vote that had fans scratching their heads.
"She needs her own shoe. Let me answer that," Hammon said with Wilson smiling behind a pair of designer shades. "... I'll toot her horn, 'cause she won't."
"In due time, we'll see what goes on," Wilson said. "In due time, I feel like we're gonna get something shaking, moving and shaking. I'm blessed to be able just to have my name in that conversation."
The conversation around Wilson deserving a signature shoe came up again last month when it was reported that Caitlin Clark was going to sign a $28 million deal with Nike that included a signature shoe after being drafted No. 1 overall by the Indiana Fever. She broke nearly every shooting record in the book in her time with the Iowa Hawkeyes.
Wilson appeared unfazed when she responded to the questions on social media.
"Always remember what is delayed is not denied …"
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