One of the WNBA’s biggest superstars A’ja Wilson has thrust the league further into the spotlight after inking a new blockbuster contract with Nike.
The three-time WNBA MVP has put pen to paper on a six-year extension with the sportswear giant, according to ESPN.
The contract extension is said to mark one of the richest shoe deals for a female basketball player.
The Las Vegas Aces superstar announced back in May that she would be launching a long-awaited signature shoe with the sports company.
The shoe, which will be called ‘A’One,’ along with the rest of her collection with Nike is expected to hit shelves in the spring.
‘It’s been incredible working with Nike toward a dream of having my collection, and it really is an honor to take this next step and become a Nike signature athlete,’ Wilson had said in a statement.
WNBA superstar A’ja Wilson has put pen to paper on a six-year extension with Nike
The three-time MVP had announced a signature shoe with the sportswear giant back in May
‘From my logo to the look of the shoe and the pieces throughout the collection, we’ve worked to make sure every detail is perfectly tuned to my game and style.’
Wilson will be the 13th WNBA athlete to have a signature shoe, joining fellow Nike athlete and New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu and league legend Breanna Stewart, who released her own footwear with Puma in 2022.
Wilson’s new deal reportedly ranks among the highest-paid shoe endorsement deals in the sport, joining the likes of Ionescu, WNBA rookie sensation Caitlin Clark and USC star Juju Watkins.
After being selected by Indiana with the first overall pick at this year’s WNBA Draft, Clark penned a controversial eight-year, $28million deal with Nike.
However, throughout the 2024 season, fans were left furious at the lack of Caitlin Clark merchandise created by Nike, despite the Fever rookie bringing more eyeballs to women’s basketball than ever before.
The news of Wilson’s latest deal comes after yet another sensational season for the 28-year-old in her seventh year in the league.
Wilson was crowned league MVP for a third time in September, adding to her two titles from 2020 and 2022.
The Las Vegas Aces superstar was crowned league MVP for a third time in September
After receiving a unanimous vote, Wilson joined Cynthia Cooper-Dyke as the second player to sweep the voting.
Wilson also joined an elite crew with Sheryl Swoopes, Lisa Leslie, and Lauren Jackson as the only players to back three MVP awards – the most in the league’s young history.
Her achievement also put the Aces franchise in fourth place for the teams with the most MVP wins. The Los Angeles Sparks leads the leas, followed by the Houston Comets and the Seattle Storm, with six, five, and four MVPs, respectively.
She also claimed her second Olympic gold medal with Team USA in the summer, in Paris, where she was also named MVP for the games.