“Well Overdue”: LeBron James Welcomes A’ja Wilson to Exclusive Club As Nike Wins Over America With Mega Announcement

Nike has taken another massive step in order to equal the playing field for women’s athletes. They recently announced that two-time WNBA MVP and Las Vegas Aces superstar A’ja Wilson will get her very own signature shoe line. It was only a matter of time before Wilson got this deal, considering she is one of the biggest WNBA stars and LeBron James agrees.

The much-anticipated news broke on Saturday morning when Wilson wore a sweatshirt that read, “Of Course I Have A Shoe Dot Com,” before a preseason game against the Puerto Rican National team. One of the first big names to congratulate A’ja Wilson was LeBron James, who himself is in a lifetime contract with the brand. He posted a picture of A’ja Wilson on his Instagram stories, with the captions, “Congratulations sis!!! Welcome to the sig crew! Well overdue.” A’ja Wilson joins Nike’s growing roster of female athletes with signature collections. She joins Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka and Sabrina Ionescu.

In a news release, A’ja Wilson described the designing process of her new collection. She said, “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 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.”

A’ja Wilson’s signature collection will include items in women’s, men’s and kid’s sizing. The shoe and rest of Wilson’s signature collections will arrive at stores in 2025. Her show will be called “A’ One.” Wilson has been a trailblazing figure in women’s basketball and she hopes that her shoe and collection will inspire the next generation of basketball superstars.

A’ja Wilson hopes to empower women with her new collection

Following the announcement of her deal with Nike, A’ja Wilson stated in a news release that her new collection would focus on empowering women. She said, “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.”

This isn’t A’ja Wilson’s first foray into public service. She has published a memoir called “Dear Black Girls: How To Be True To You,” which was based on growing up in South Carolina and navigating professional basketball as a Black woman. Her memoir has inspired countless women of color, one of them being Chicago Sky’s rookie, Angel Reese.

Furthermore, the Siena School even honored A’ja Wilson because of her work and advocacy regarding dyslexia. In fact, Wilson has done a lot of work to prevent bullying of differently abled children. A’ja Wilson’s track record in public service and women empowerment speaks volumes about her character, and Nike’s decision to collaborate with her might just take her social advocacy to the next level.