Wilson is one of the best players in the WNBA and has been honoured with a shoe contract
Las Vegas Aces forward A’ja Wilson celebrates during a rally to celebrate the team’s WNBA championshipLAPRESSE
A’ja Wilson continues to grow her impressive career on and off the court as this time she announced a deal with Nike, as the apparel giant will produce a shoe inspired by her, adding they were “proud” to introduce the Las Vegas Aces’ star.
Wilson celebrated the news with a beaming smile as she posed for a photograph wearing a black sweat-top with, “Of Course I Have a Shoe Dot Com,” written on it, as she continues her stellar career in basketball.
“Nike are proud to introduce A’ja Wilson as the newest member of the brand’s signature family,” a press release from the company said. “Marking the next chapter of partnership with one of basketball’s greatest athletes.
Adding that the shoe is, “inspired by her distinctive style, incredible performance and unapologetic realness. As one of the most iconic basketball players of her generation, of course, she got a shoe.”
Wilson, who continues to be one of the top players in the WNBA, responded to the news by saying, “It’s been incredible working with Nike toward a dream of having my collection.
“It really is an honor to take this next step and become a Nike signature athlete. From the 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.”
Nike land Wilson after Clark criticism
The deal with Wilson comes after Nike was criticized for signing former Iowa superstar Caitlin Clark to a $28 million contract, which included a signature shoe, despite never having played in a professional game.
This resulted in critics wondering why current WNBA stars, like Wilson, were being overlooked despite their success.
That uproar will likely subside now that Wilson has signed a deal, as she had been working with Nike for over a year and wanted the news to drop when the Aces visited her hometown of Columbia, South Carolina.
“The biggest thing for me is I get to showcase what I’ve been working on for a couple of years now in my home state, in my home city,” Wilson told Andscape. “
A place where people watched me grow and I raised eyebrows like, ‘Is she really that good?!’ To then seeing me in college and now in the pros.”
How good is A’ja Wilson?
Wilson is a two-time WNBA champion after leading the Aces onto their first ever championship in 2023, but she also backs herself up by talking the talk and walking the walk on the court.
Across her career, she’s played 189 games and averaged 19.9 points per game, 8.7 rebounds per game and 2.1 assists per game with a 49.1% field goal rate from the forward position, showing her high level of talent after being selected as the overall first pick in the 2018 WNBA Draft.
