Two-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson has received a signature shoe deal. It has been a long time in the making, but the Nike shoe is set to debut in 2025. Wilson shared the news on social media.
The shoe will be called the “A’One” and have sizes for children, men and women.
“We’ve been working on this for a couple of years now, and I just wanted it to be perfect,” Wilson told the Las Vegas Review-Journal in an exclusive interview. “I didn’t want this to be something that was just like a handout. I wanted for people to understand that this is coming from me. It took a lot of time, a lot of hard conversations with Nike and my team in order for us to get this product.”
The 1 … but still the 22
— Nike Basketball (@nikebasketball) May 11, 2024
Before Wilson’s announcement, Candace Parker was the only active Black WNBA player to have a signature shoe line, but she recently announced her retirement and is now the president of Adidas women’s basketball.
Until recently, only 12 players in the history of the WNBA had signature shoe deals. However, it was announced this year that Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark would receive a shoe. That bumps the number to 14 as the WNBA enters its 28th season. That is .5 shoes per year up from .44 just one season ago.
The growth of women’s basketball at the professional and collegiate levels is undeniable. Expect to see more signature shoes in the WNBA. They are just getting started.
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=650262608]