“Weakness, weakness. We don’t have time for that,” goes extremely hard as a quote from A’ja Wilson, but it’s even better as the phrase carved on her latest shoe, the “A’One.” Wilson got her own shoe from Nike in May 2024, becoming the 13th player in WNBA history to have one. Since then, she has worked with Nike footwear designer Ben Nethongkome to create the A’One. When Wilson was drafted as the first overall pick in 2018, everyone, including Nike, recognized her superstar potential, leading to her signing as a brand representative.

The very decision proved strategic, as she has evolved to be the face of the WNBA and appeared in an ad during the Super Bowl along with fellow stars Sabrina Ionescu and Caitlin Clark. Her shoe is set to receive more attention and hype from the fans as Nike dropped the first advertisement featuring a title song for A’ja Wilson. The ad seems to be iconic, receiving positive feedback from WNBA fans. The ad featured a group of children singing the song along with Wilson. The song immediately imprints on your brain, demonstrating the effectiveness of the ad. There have been rumors flying around that the former US President Barack Obama’s daughter was involved in the making of this ad. Is there any truth to it?

Well, yes, according to multiple behind-the-scenes reports from the set, it seems that this was directed by Malia Obama, the daughter of former American President Barack Obama. Malia, who professionally goes by Malia Ann, was also part of the production team for the ad aired during the Super Bowl. Malia graduated from Harvard in 2021 and has been active in the film industry ever since. She directed her own short film named “The Heart,” and now she is taking a step ahead in her career by directing two ads for Nike involving almost all the top women athletes in the country.

The latest ad for the A’One showcased just how much swagger Wilson carries herself with and her inspiration for the next generation. It did a really good job of covering all bases, with the kids having the perfect clothing to complement the shoe color, along with A’ja’s involvement. Malia has been credited as a director for the primary commercial, but appears to have been the principal director for the minute-long vignette. We can expect more involvement from her side as Nike is expected to drop more sneakers with WNBA players, with the most eagerly awaited being the Caitlin Clark shoe.

Meanwhile, Wilson’s shoe is set to release on May 6 but has already had its early release in March in select cities. “She’s probably one of the best-dressed people in the WNBA,” said Ashley Hall, a Philadelphia-based content creator and co-host of The Sole Table who has previously partnered with Nike and Fenty. So you probably should trust the best-dressed athlete if you don’t want to research much for your next shoe.

South Carolina Coach Dawn Staley featured in the Ad

With the Super Bowl ad receiving some criticism from experts and fans alike, this was an important play for Nike as a brand to have a foothold in the women’s game. They had to make it a success to lay the groundwork for future shoes from WNBA players as the popularity of the league rises. It wasn’t all about her, as Dawn Staley, the Mr. Miyagi to Wilson’s Daniel LaRusso, also featured in the ad.

Staley had her few seconds in the ad as she danced into a restaurant wearing both a shirt and a visor with Wilson’s Nike logo on them. The former coach of A’ja Wilson, the legend herself, Dawn Staley, received this ad as a pre-birthday gift as she celebrated her 55th birthday yesterday. It is fitting that one of the most important people in A’ja’s career was on the screen to take in one of the highs in her career. Under Staley, Wilson flew to different heights at South Carolina. She posted the shots involving her in the ad on her Instagram, expressing her admiration for A’ja.

The coach has already received a pair of these stylish shoes, as Wilson gave some pairs to the people closest to her. She recently also gave a pair to each Las Vegas Aces player. The shoes seemed to be a big hit, as they were pretty excited to try them on. In the Las Vegas Aces’ preseason game on May 2 against the Dallas Wings, Wilson dominated the court with 22 points while sporting her shoes on the court.

The sales of this shoe might set a precedent for other athletes like Caitlin Clark to have their shoe. Wilson has certainly grown to be the player who people recognize in the league. As the popularity of the WNBA has grown, the contributions of Wilson are becoming more and more prominent.