When it comes to the growth of women’s basketball, Nike is putting their money where their mouth is. Their unwavering commitment to the WNBA has them at the front lines of the ongoing battle for equal opportunity, and through 2037, they’ve made it a point to have the Swoosh as the league’s exclusive on-court uniform and apparel provider.
Where the brand can really change the landscape is through their product, doing so putting women at the forefront of the competitive signature shoe business. A roster that includes Sabrina Ionescu, Caitlin Clark, and A’ja Wilson is giving the men a run for their money, and the newly unveiled A’One is sending stronger ripples that can force waters into once uncharted territories.
Typically, the Hall-of-Fame career comes after the first signature shoe, but that’s only a testament to just how insanely special A’ja is. At her current trajectory, the Aces superstar could go down as the GOAT. If she stopped right now, she’s already a Top 10 OAT. But greatest-of chatter aside, A’ja is excited, emotional, and giddy to start her journey as a Nike signature athlete.
Today, Nike officially unveils A’ja Wilson’s first signature shoe, the Nike A’One. Debuting in the “Pink Aura” colorway, the newest Nike Basketball women’s signature shoe is confirmed to launch on SNKRS and select retailers in May; MSRP is established at $110 for Adult Unisex sizes and $90 for Grade School.
The overhanging motif of the design is that of a pearl, nodding to an heirloom necklace gifted to A’ja by her grandmother. The design of the upper features a gradation of protective layers echoing outwards from the precious gem represented by the pearlized Swoosh. Another nod to the pearl, and perhaps by coincidence, is that A’ja private Instagram burner account features the word pearl (we tried to find the account, but to no avail).
More hidden elements include a special quote on the outsole that reads “As a matter of fact, the best is yet to come,”, a message from her grandmother taken from A’ja published book Dear Black Girls. Behind the tongue is A’ja special tattoo; it’s placed there specifically so she can see it every time she laces up her shoe.
On the tech side, the A’One features a Cushlon ST2 foam encased by an injected phylon midsole carrier featuring an oblong-shaped bezel frame; this mimics the hard shell of a clam protecting the pearl inside.
Read on below for a quick one-on-one interview with A’ja Wilson and Nike Senior Designer Ben Nethongkome and a closer look at the A’One.
“I would love to see LeBron in my shoe just because of the mutual respect we have for one another.”
A’ja on who she’d like to see wear her shoe
Sneaker News: You’re a great, confident communicator and so you’re able to literally write down your thoughts in a book, but a shoe is so different because it’s so abstract. What are some of the things that you told Nike that you needed in your shoe?
A’ja Wilson: Number one, I wanted it to be a shoe where you can instantly identify it as my shoe right out of the gate, that you knew it was the A’One. Secondly, I wanted it to be really comfortable. I wanted it to be light. Thirdly, I wanted durability. I wanted it to be able to sustain four quarters of play. That was my biggest thing And finally, I wanted it to look good!
Prior to the A’One, it’s been well documented that A’ja has been wearing LeBron’s signature shoes, so it seems that that style of hoops shoe has been resonating with her. Considering LeBrons are higher priced and have more tech, was that a challenge in the A’One creation since it is a lesser-priced model?
Ben Nethongkome: I wouldn’t see them as challenge, but as opportunities. We identify that there indeed models out there that she likes, and from there we can extract and reverse-engineer. Prior to LeBron, she was also wearing the Cosmic Unity, so we also learned from that chassis, we took all those learnings and crafted the A’One. We were able to tie in those past models that she was playing in and winning in, and making her signature shoe from that.
“I would say the thing that surprised me the most, is just how much my voice really matters.”
A’ja on the most surprising aspect of the shoe design process
Nike shared a pretty raw moment on Instagram, showing your emotional reaction to seeing your shoe for the first time. Can you describe the differences between that moment and seeing your completed book for the first time?
A’ja Wilson: Wow, honestly I never even thought about it in that way. When it came to my book, it was like “Wow, I wrote a book!” and just seeing it on shelves was so special and obviously it’s something that i’ll never forget. But when it came to my shoe, it was a different feeling and vibe. I grew up circling stuff in newspapers and catalogs, wanting to have this shoe and being a part of it. And to actually see it, and see your signature on the back, it was all my emotions just firing off. All those meetings, all those conversations, is now here, and everyone’s gonna get to have it for a few months.
Don’t get me wrong, I love my book and i’m proud of it, but I can actually wear my shoes on a big platform that people want to see. That right there has been an amazing roller-coaster of emotions, but such an unforgettable ride.
Representation of signature shoes is pretty significant in today’s basketball landscape. Are there any WNBA or NBA athletes that you’d like to see wearing a shoe? Will Josh Hart get a pair?
A’ja Wilson: (Laughs) Honestly, yeah! Josh Hart would have to be one. And if i’m going to think big, I would love to see LeBron in my shoe just because of the relationship that we have and the mutual respect we have for one another.
When it comes to the W side, I feel like across the board and who we are as a league, I would love for everyone to rock it! Honestly, like I said before, the mere fact that people are coming to me and asking “when’s your shoe gonna drop!” and “can I get my hands on the shoes,” it just speaks so many volumes in itself. I’m grateful for anyone who wants to rock the A’One.
Considering this is your first shoe, what are some parts of the design process or the wear-test process that surprised you?
A’ja Wilson: I would say the thing that surprised me the most, is just how much my voice really matters. I’m the type of person where I don’t want to just fall in line, but at the same time if I don’t know much about something, I gravitate more to collaboration and asking “what do you guys think?” But it blew me away when they were like “no, you’re in control of this, we’re banking on you make the right decision.”
I don’t think from the outside looking in, not many people may realize just how much hard work and the thought process goes into all the details that we want to get across. I’m appreciative to have a team that literally put the ball in my court and told me “we need you to take your shoe to the promised land.” But really, I was just surprised at how much the athlete’s voice really matters.”