When A’ja Wilson sprints back to the tunnel after pregame warm-ups at Michelob Ultra Arena, fans get a quick look at her latest A’One colorway. The Las Vegas Aces star has used her Nike signature shoe to showcase Black cartoon characters throughout the 2025 season, from Princess Tiana to Susie Carmichael.
Wilson, the first Black WNBA player with a signature shoe since 2010, drew particular attention on June 25 when she wore lime green A’Ones inspired by Tiana from Disney’s “The Princess and the Frog” during a win over the Connecticut Sun. That game she became the fastest player in league history to reach 5,000 career points.
Other designs included a bright yellow pair honoring Susie Carmichael, the only Black main character on Nickelodeon’s “Rugrats,” and a mismatched set paying tribute to comic book heroes Storm and Static Shock.
“That was a no-brainer. … It’s who I am,” Wilson told the Review-Journal. “I grew up watching these characters — I grew up wanting to be these characters. They look like me. They were so special in the roles that they played.”
Wilson’s path to becoming a role model began in Columbia, South Carolina, where as a 6-year-old she was told by a friend she might have to “stay outside” at a party because the friend’s father did not like Black people. She also heard stories about segregation from her late maternal grandmother, Hattie Rakes, who was not allowed on the University of South Carolina campus. Years later, a statue of Wilson was erected on that same campus after she led the Gamecocks to an NCAA championship.
London Johnson, the Black lead designer of the A’One, praised Wilson’s vision. “A’ja is incredible to work with. She has such a distinct point of view about how she wants to see things come to life,” Johnson said. “There are so many iconic Black characters that A’ja wanted to give flowers to. … I think she sees a bit of herself in those characters.”
The A’One sold out in minutes after its May release. Details about the A’Two have not been announced.
Wilson’s impact extends beyond the court. When ninth grader Olivia Richards chose Wilson for a Black History Month project at Calvary Christian Academy in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Wilson replied with a quick “thank you” on social media. “We may have run around the school screaming,” Richards said.
Wilson, who also wrote about her experiences with dyslexia and identity in her New York Times bestselling book “Dear Black Girls,” said her key lesson is: “Your voice matters.” But when fans ask her to release her Player Exclusive shoes for purchase, she demurs. “No, we can’t do that,” she said, smiling. “Some things I just want to keep to myself.”
