For A’ja Wilson, ‘storytelling is so key’ with a new signature shoe, European tour
When Nike began to assert its dominance in the sneaker world in the 1980s and 1990s, a key component involved storytelling in its commercials. They were fun, creative and uniquely connected to the athletes featured.
Those components made the commercials for A’ja Wilson’s A’One signature shoe from Nike one of the best campaigns in years, with nods to how Wilson grew up and her journey to becoming a premier WNBA player — highlighting her career all while incorporating a remixed version of the children’s hand game “Miss Mary Mack.”
The A’One shoe allowed Wilson to tell the story of a young, Black girl’s life with images that connect with a younger generation. She’s now interested in telling another story with the upcoming release of her second signature shoe, the A’Two.
“I think that’s a beautiful thing when you have a company that is willing to figure you out and be like, ‘Now how can we present you as your true, unapologetic self to the people?'” Wilson told The Athletic in an exclusive interview. “I think we executed it perfectly, literally back home. … Those small pieces go a long way, and I think it’s something we haven’t really seen at Nike for a very long time.”
Wilson will be on a European tour from Tuesday through Sunday to promote the upcoming release. The A’Two is scheduled to be released May 2. The A’One quickly sold out with its initial release last May.
Wilson said it’s important that women’s stories are told, not just on the court but also in how their merchandise is showcased. She is intimately involved in the details of telling her story, whether it be through the shoe ads or for the shoe itself, in which she said she’s “99 percent” involved by providing input and hidden messages in the design.
“This isn’t something that we just slap a logo on or slap a name on, make it pink and say, ‘OK that’s a woman’s shoe,'” Wilson said. “It’s more like let’s do a deep dive into these women and showcase why they are greater, what they do and why they deserve this signature shoe or this P.E. (player edition) or anything that they’re working on.
“I think the storytelling is so key, particularly as to who we are and what people want to grab onto. I’m excited that we’re finally getting to showcase the love that we need and the respect that we’ve worked so hard to get.”
Read More: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7082254/2026/03/03/aja-wilson-shoe-wnba-aces-europe-tour/
Posted Mar 5, 2026, 2:25 AM UTC