Nike unveils debut signature shoe for basketball star A’ja Wilson

American basketball player A’ja Wilson, who plays for the Las Vegas Aces of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), has unveiled her debut signature shoe with sports giant Nike.

Wilson, who has earned two WNBA rings, two Olympic gold medals, an NCAA crown and three WNBA MVP awards, has worked closely with the sportswear brand for more than two years to design the Nike A’One basketball shoe to deliver an optimal combination of cushioning, traction, fit and support.

On the design, Wilson said in a statement: “We worked for over two years to create the Nike A’One to help me redefine the limits of greatness and advance the game to another level. My signature shoe is worth the wait - engineered for my game and my style, and built to motivate the next generation to go big. Just wait to see what we do with it.”

The A’One is targeting elite athletes, fans of the game, as well as young hoopers and has been engineered with Cushlon ST2 foam for a firmer base “to deliver explosive responsiveness and smooth, cushioned landings”. A reimagined traction pattern also allows athletes to cut, pivot and move side to side with precision, while a supportive insole and breathable mesh upper help athletes lock in for unstoppable, dynamic movement.

Wilson added: “The A’One is meant to go the distance, taking control from the jump and dominating the floor on every play. From the beginning, we designed the shoe to both support my game and to provide young hoopers a tool to help them level up.

“The A’One aces that assignment, and we took the time to really get it right in order to deliver exactly what I need to push my performance and inspire the next generation to give it their all on every play.”

A’ja Wilson adds personalised details to her signature Nike basketball shoe

The bold pink silhouette also features personalised design details recalling Wilson’s family history, such as pearl motifs and finishes in a nod to a necklace Wilson’s grandmother gifted her as a child, and there is an additional tribute to her grandmother, including her message from Wilson’s book, “As a matter of fact, the best is yet to come.”

There are also Celtic symbols for “mom” and “dad” paying homage to Wilson’s parents, and a postgame quote that speaks to her trademark tenacity is immortalised on the heel, “Weakness, weakness. We don’t have time for that.”

The A’One also features Wilson’s new signature logo, inspired by the star she draws inside the “A” of her signature while referencing her role as an “A1”.

Ben Nethongkome, lead designer for the A’One footwear, added: “In A’ja, the next generation has a beacon to look to — an inspiration point. She wants to lead the charge for young hoopers to strive for greatness. We designed the Nike A’One so that when girls lace up, they channel A’ja’s encouragement through her footwear, knowing they can be like her one day.”

To complement her signature basketball shoe, Nike will launch an eight-piece A’ja Wilson apparel collection for women, men and kids, inspired by the stars style. Looks include a cropped women’s satin-lined hoodie, statement A’Symmetric tights, sateen shorts, and T-shirts.

The Nike A’One sneaker and apparel collection will be available at SNKRS, nike.com and select retail locations in May 2025.