Las Vegas Aces forward A'ja Wilson signed a 6-year contract extension with Nike on Tuesday, according to a tweet from ESPN Senior NBA Insider Shams Charania. It will be one of the richest shoe deals for a women's basketball player, he added.
Nike had previously announced Wilson's signature shoe, the Nike A'One, would be released in 2025 last May. The two-time MVP became the 13th player in WNBA history to design and release her own signature shoe, Andscape wrote in a May article. She is one of a handful of active players, including the New York Liberty duo of forward Breanna Stewart with Puma and guard Sabrina Ionescu with Nike, with an official signature shoe line. Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark signed an 8-figure deal with Nike that included a signature shoe in April. USC sophomore guard Juju Watkins would sign one of the richest shoe endorsements in women's basketball with a Nike contract extension of her own in October.
Wilson, a six-time All-Star and two-time WNBA champion, added to her already-illustrious career by unanimously winning the league's MVP last season. She became the first player since former Houston Comets guard Cynthia Cooper to win the award unanimously. Wilson led the WNBA in points and blocks per game with 26.9 and 2.6, respectively. The former South Carolina standout averaged just more than 27 points and 13 rebounds during her four games against the Chicago Sky this season, highlighted by an all-around dominant 30-point performance in a September win over Chicago.
Sky forward Angel Reese, who faced off against Wilson four times last season, extended her deal with Reebok in October. It would include a signature shoe release in 2026. The All-Rookie selection and soon-to-be Unrivaled athlete launched her first footwear and apparel collection with Reebok in August. Reece's collection includes exclusive sneakers, t-shirts, leggings, dresses and more. She led the Sky and the league in rebounds per game with 13.1 last season.
“I am honored to unveil my first collection with Reebok, and worked hand in hand with the brand to ensure each and every piece is designed to elicit confidence and expression,” Reese said in an August release. “I wanted to create a collection that allowed women and girls everywhere to embrace their femininity and power in whatever they’re doing. This collection is for HER to be stylish and fierce on all occasions. “
It wouldn't be the first time a Sky player had received a lucrative shoe deal.
Two-time WNBA MVP and 10-time All-WNBA forward Candace Parker first signed a shoe deal with Adidas in 2008 a few weeks after she was drafted by the Los Angeles Sparks. Her first signature shoe, the Adidas Ace Commander, would be released two years later. Adidas would release the Ace Versatility, Exhibit A and Exhibit B during Parker's legendary career. Parker spent two seasons with the Sky and helped lead them to their first WNBA championship in 2021.