{"id":1203671573,"date":"2024-08-01T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-08-01T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/footwearnews.com\/?p=1203671573"},"modified":"2024-08-01T10:09:35","modified_gmt":"2024-08-01T14:09:35","slug":"aja-wilson-signature-shoe-wnba","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/footwearnews.com\/fashion\/celebrity-style\/aja-wilson-signature-shoe-wnba-1203671573\/","title":{"rendered":"EXCLUSIVE: A’ja Wilson Opens Up About Landing a Nike Signature Shoe Deal, Showing Black Women That Everything Is Possible \u2014 And Making Pharrell an Offer He Can’t Refuse"},"content":{"rendered":"


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On set at Blok Photo Studio in Phoenix, photographer Flo Ngala asks A\u2019ja Wilson to give her some movement. Without hesitation, the WNBA star starts dancing to the Beyonc\u00e9 playlist that is blaring through the speakers with a beaming smile and an energy that\u2019s beyond infectious.<\/p>\n

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And why shouldn\u2019t she be smiling? At just 27, Wilson, who plays for the Las Vegas Aces, is 48 hours away from playing in her sixth WNBA All-Star Game<\/a>, at a time when women\u2019s basketball has never been hotter. Then, she\u2019s immediately off to Paris to compete for her second gold medal as a member of Team USA.<\/p>\n

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For FN\u2019s cover shoot, Wilson is being photographed for the first time in a hoodie of her own design from her highly anticipated collection with Nike, as well as some of her other pieces and the Swoosh\u2019s most iconic sneakers.<\/p>\n

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Her own forthcoming signature sneaker<\/a>, the A\u2019One, will soon be in her home alongside those from legends she admires \u2014 Dawn Staley and Lisa Leslie, among others.<\/p>\n

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When the Nike A\u2019One releases in 2025, Wilson will be the first Black woman with a signature basketball shoe since Adidas launched its last look for Candace Parker in 2011, the Ace Versatility. Wilson will also be the first Black woman to receive a Nike signature basketball shoe in more than 20 years, the last being Hall of Famers Sheryl Swoopes and Chamique Holdsclaw.<\/p>\n

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\u201cTo be the next Black woman with a signature shoe, oh my gosh, I am so excited for next year. I can\u2019t contain it,\u201d Wilson said. \u201cIt\u2019s such a big moment. When [the news] first dropped, Coach Staley hit me, Sheryl hit me, Lisa hit me and they were all like, \u2018You deserve this.\u2019 To have greats, Hall of Famers like that say that to me, I was like, \u2018God, thank you.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

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WORTH THE WAIT<\/h2>\n

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\"A'ja
A’ja Wilson in her Nike A’One hoodie and short with Air Max 1 Essential sneakers.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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When Nike announced Wilson as its next signature athlete in May, the brand quelled long-simmering frustrations among fans who were waiting for a shoe bearing her name.<\/p>\n

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What they didn\u2019t know was that Wilson, too, was frustrated.<\/p>\n

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\u201cYou work your ass off to get where you are, and yet you are still in a situation like, \u2018Am I good enough? Am I enough? What do I need to show to you guys?\u2019 I ran into that with Nike,\u201d she explained. \u201cBut on the flip side, Nike was like, \u2018No, you are enough. You have to trust the process.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

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Wilson and Nike finally began collaborating on the shoe and collection in early 2023, but the work was kept under wraps.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI\u2019m looking at the shoe, I\u2019m changing it and we\u2019re figuring out what direction we want to go with it. That takes time. At the same time, I\u2019m not someone that\u2019s going to be tweeting or having conversations or interviews discussing my every move,\u201d Wilson said.<\/p>\n

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But she was forced to end her silence in April, after reports surfaced of a signature shoe deal for WNBA rookie Caitlin Clark<\/a>, just two days after Clark was drafted into the league. The news irked longtime fans of Wilson \u2014 a two-time WNBA champion who has also been named league MVP twice. They believed her accolades alone made her more than deserving.<\/p>\n

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That night, Wilson responded to the chatter via Twitter: \u201cAlways remember what is delayed is not denied.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe conversation [on social media] was like, \u2018Now you have a shoe because of Caitlin.\u2019 No, it was never that. What is for me was always going to be for me, with or without this rookie class. I promise you that,\u201d Wilson said.<\/p>\n

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She continued, \u201cNike taught me a lot about being patient. My patience was definitely tested, but I\u2019m grateful because trusting that process, I now have a shoe that I\u2019m happy with.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Although Wilson and Nike have been tight-lipped on details since the announcement, the athlete provided some insights about her A\u2019One sneaker.<\/p>\n

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\u201cWhen people look at my position in basketball, they think of a big-man shoe, a forward or center shoe. The A\u2019One is not that. It is the complete opposite,\u201d Wilson said. \u201cIt\u2019s very versatile because that is my style of play. And I wanted a shoe that was going to be comfortable and durable for 40 minutes because the last thing I want to worry about on court are my shoes. And it\u2019s a low top.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Ben Nethongkome, lead footwear designer for Wilson\u2019s collection, added, \u201cA\u2019ja has been incredible to work with on her signature collection. Her vibes are unmatched, the energy she brings is amazing, and you can tell she is a natural leader. She immediately made the entire team feel so comfortable, which led to better conversations, design and more.\u201d<\/p>\n

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USING HER VOICE<\/h2>\n

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\"Nike,
A’ja Wilson in the Alexander Wang top, Courr\u00e8ges jeans, Nike A’One single-leg tight and Air Force 1s sneakers. Jewelry is her own.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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On set, Wilson has more on her mind than just sneakers \u2014 or basketball. We\u2019re only days removed from the historic announcement that President Joe Biden has exited the U.S. presidential race and endorsed current Vice President Kamala Harris. At press time, Harris is considered the presumptive Democratic nominee, making her the first woman of color on a major party ticket.<\/p>\n

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With election day just months away, Wilson, who is passionate about issues of politics, women\u2019s rights and race, recognizes the importance her voice carries beyond the basketball court. And she is committed to using her platform.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI\u2019m always going to encourage people to vote and know that they have a voice and know that it is how you get what you want. We can\u2019t complain and then don\u2019t do the work. I encourage people as much as possible to vote wherever they are \u2014 absentee, anything,\u201d Wilson said.<\/p>\n

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At the same time, she\u2019s not suffering fools. \u201cI don\u2019t like being bothered by people that feel like they have a say in things that have nothing to do with them \u2014 like women\u2019s rights,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n

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The issue of racial equality also sparks her ire, especially a recent report that a Black woman, Sonya Massey, was shot and killed in her Illinois home by a sheriff\u2019s deputy, who has since been fired from the agency and charged with murder.<\/p>\n

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\u201cLike Malcolm X said, \u2018The most disrespected person in the world is the Black woman,\u2019\u201d she said. \u201cEvery day you\u2019re fighting a battle. You can wake up and the world hates you or the world loves you. Navigating that is something I\u2019ve started to learn how to do, and I\u2019ve done it vocally, which has really helped me. It helped me realize that I\u2019m not by myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Indeed, Wilson was very forthcoming in her book \u201cDear Black Girls: How to Be True to You,\u201d a biography detailing her experiences as a young Black girl in America and sharing how she was able to find success. The book debuted on The New York Times bestseller list almost as soon as it launched in February.<\/p>\n

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\u201cWriting my book, I felt like I was writing in my diary,\u201d Wilson said. \u201cBut when I did my book tour, all these people came out and were like, \u2018This is my life.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

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She continued, \u201cGrowing up, it was hard for me to speak on these things because I went to private school with only 5 percent Black kids. I couldn\u2019t have these conversations because no one looked like me. As I got older, I started to be in tune with myself and was like, I don\u2019t care who\u2019s in the room, I\u2019m going to say what I have to say because I need to be heard.\u201d<\/p>\n

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With her book, she was also able to connect with younger players in the WNBA, including rookie Aaliyah Edwards of the Washington Mystics. \u201cShe read my book and was sending me quotes as if I didn\u2019t write it,\u201d Wilson said with a laugh. \u201cIt really warmed my heart.<\/p>\n

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FASHION ON HER OWN TERMS<\/h2>\n

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\"Nike,
A’ja Wilson in Alexander Wang top, Courr\u00e8ges jeans, Nike A’One single-leg tight. Jewelry is her own.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Wilson\u2019s undeniable influence on the next generation is arguably most evident with a trend that has swept the pro and college game: the single-leg sleeve.<\/p>\n

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But she didn\u2019t rock the style to set a trend \u2014 it was out of necessity. \u201cI wore it because my leg was not working,\u201d Wilson said with a laugh.<\/p>\n

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She began wearing the leg sleeve during her rookie year because of pain from training camp. \u201cAt the University of South Carolina, Coach Staley was strict about our uniform. We weren\u2019t allowed to wear sleeves unless it was medically cleared. In training camp [with the Aces], I was like, \u2018Oh my God, my leg is not here today\u2019 \u2014 my left leg, the one I use the most because I\u2019m left-handed. So I tried the sleeve, but I cut the other one off because I wasn\u2019t used to wearing sleeves and I hated it.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Since her now-famous look debuted, it has been spotted on some of basketball\u2019s best, including rookie Angel Reese<\/a> and even four-time NBA champion LeBron James.<\/p>\n

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However, the college game is where Wilson\u2019s influence is seen the most. \u201c[My agent], Jade [English], was at a regional and she sent a picture. Of the 10 girls on the court, eight of them had one leg sleeve. She was like, \u2018Look at the A\u2019ja Wilson effect,\u2019\u201d the hooper said.<\/p>\n

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When it comes to fashion off the court, Wilson described herself as a cozy, sassy, \u201990s vintage girl. (\u201cIf they all could have a baby, it would be me,\u201d she said.)<\/p>\n

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Personal stylist Amadi Brooks, whose professional relationship with Wilson began at the start of the 2023 WNBA season, referred to her stature as \u201cmodel- esque\u201d and said there are few looks she can\u2019t pull off.<\/p>\n

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\u201cShe is the perfect combination of sporty and feminine, and she\u2019s able to switch it up effortlessly. She\u2019s versatile, so we\u2019re able to go from comfy-cozy to hyperfeminine to a combination of both,\u201d Brooks explained. \u201cAnd I love working with A\u2019ja because it\u2019s a collaborative effort. A\u2019ja has her own mind and sense of how she wants to look, and when we put our minds together, we\u2019re able to execute something that\u2019s authentic to who she is.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Brooks\u2019 favorite outfit so far is the custom tattered jeans adorned with pearls that Wilson wore to the 2023 WNBA All-Star Game. The pearls served as a nod to both Wilson\u2019s sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha, and her late grandmother, who gifted her pearls that she continues to wear.<\/p>\n

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In terms of footwear, Wilson said she\u2019s starting to wear heels more and favors looks from Saint Laurent and Christian Louboutin. Her closet also holds several iconic looks from Nike, mostly Dunks and Air Force 1s.<\/p>\n

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Wilson admitted she has more than 50 pairs of all-white Air Force 1s, with good reason. \u201cThis is going to sound crazy, but one foot is bigger than the other,\u201d she admitted. \u201cI have 11.5 and 11 because I like my Forces snug, but the way that I walk, one shoe will crease, so I\u2019ve got to rotate them because I can\u2019t have them creased.\u201d<\/p>\n

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She is also starting to incorporate Prada and Gucci into her wardrobe, when it comes to both clothes and footwear. Her favorite designer brand, however, is Louis Vuitton. \u201cI love me some Louis,\u201d she said. \u201cMy whole closet is just that, it\u2019s so bad.\u201d<\/p>\n

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In fact, Wilson jokingly said it wouldn\u2019t take much to get her on board as an ambassador for the brand.<\/p>\n

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\u201cPharrell could just knock on my door,\u201d Wilson said with a laugh. \u201cKnock on my door with one of those iridescent Louis duffels, put an A logo on there and I\u2019m set. I can come to a couple shows, sit there, look all interested in the people walking. It doesn\u2019t take much to make me happy.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Attending a show is one thing. Would she walk in one? That\u2019s another story. \u201cI\u2019m scared because I feel like I\u2019ll walk like an athlete,\u201d Wilson said with a laugh. \u201cBut I\u2019m down. Listen, when it comes to a moment to stand out, A\u2019ja never runs away from it.\u201d<\/p>\n

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WNBA Star A’ja Wilson’s Shoe Style Through the Years<\/div>\n\n\t\t
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About the Author<\/em><\/h2>\n

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Peter Verry is the Senior News and Features Editor for Athletic and Outdoor at Footwear News. He oversees coverage of the two fast-paced and ultracompetitive markets, which includes conducting in-depth interviews with industry leaders and writing stories on sneakers and outdoor shoes. He is a lifelong sneaker addict (and shares his newest purchases via @peterverry<\/a> on Instagram) and spends most of his free time on a trail. He holds an M.A. in journalism from Hofstra University and can be reached at peter.verry@footwearnews.com.<\/em><\/p>\n

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