A’ja Wilson has scaled nearly every mountain in sight in the WNBA. It is only a matter of time before she breaks the remaining records. However, emerging rookie Caitlin Clark is already threatening to achieve twice in half the time. But because of Wilson’s calm demeanor, which drives her success, she is leading the off-court race to become the next WNBA player with a signature Nike sneaker.

As per insider Ethan Strauss, Nike is prioritizing Wilson’s signature shoe, set to hit the market in 2025 over Clark’s. “Based on conversations with people in the know, it (Clark not getting a signature shoe) indeed has something to do with WNBA MVP and Nike athlete A’ja Wilson,” he wrote on his website. “But beyond Wilson, it’s about a culture at the company that’s more concerned with quelling noise rather than making it, as Nike once used to.”

Amid this new development, A’ja Wilson has displayed her love for Nike. In Game 2 of the first-round matchup against the Seattle Storm, the 2024 unanimous MVP took the court for the Las Vegas Aces in her custom gold Nike Lebron 21 PEs. The sneakers stood out on the court, subtly making a statement.

The statement was further intensified as Wilson scored 24 points and a game-high 13 rebounds to sweep the Storm 2-0 and advance to the semifinals. Basketball fans will get a 2023 finals rematch early as the Aces will face the New York Liberty, who knocked out the Atlanta Dream from the championship race. But coming back to Wilson’s legacy-building Nike partnership, here’s how the iconic sports brand is innovating on the go.

Nike commemorates Aja Wilson’s 3rd MVP with special merch

Before Game 1 of the playoffs, A’ja Wilson was announced as the unanimous 2024 MVP. The Aces Center leveled Sheryl Swoopes, Lisa Leslie, and Lauren Jackson in most MVP awards won – three. Consequently, Nike announced the release of a special MVP t-shirt to mark this occasion.

“Of course A’ja is MVP again. For all her other accolades, just read the back of this soft cotton tee,” read the product description on their website. The back of the black tee had all of Wilson’s major achievements, from the 2018 Rookie of the Year award to 2024’s MVP. The t-shirt also has Wilson’s signature logo on the front, which combined the letter A with a star, representing her reputation as a “diamond in the rough”.

Wilson’s A’One shoe will arrive in 2025, making her the 13th WNBA player to have a signature shoe. New York Liberty’s Sabrina Ionescu was the last player to release a signature collection with Nike in June 2024. However, Wilson’s collection will take the apparel game to a higher level. Inspired by her “one-leg sleeve”, Nike even plans to include leggings with a pre-nipped sleeve in the 2025 collection.

The Aces Center is making waves on and off the court. While breaking the 1000-point single-season mark, she averaged 26.9 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in the regular season. Though the Liberty is a much stronger force in 2024, Wilson’s magic can help the Aces trump them in pursuit of the 3-peat.