"I don't like basketball shoes... I don't know if pink is my color": Dawn Staley gets candid on A'ja Wilson's latest sneakers amid praise

A'ja Wilson unveiled her first signature shoe from Nike on Tuesday, with the A'One set to hit shelves this May. Dawn Staley shared her take on her former star's latest sneakers in a media briefing on Wednesday ahead of South Carolina's (21-1, 9-0 SEC) clash with the Georgia Bulldogs (9-14, 1-8 SEC).

A reporter asked Staley what she thought about Wilson's A'One shoes after learning that the South Carolina coach got herself a pair. Staley laughed when she heard the question before giving her opinion about the newest footwear.

"Comfortable. I don’t like basketball shoes. I like comfort at my age and I actually can wear them," Staley said (at 05:38). "I can wear them anywhere and feel like I don’t mean to take them off anytime soon."

Staley drew laughs from reporters when she said she wasn't a fan of the colorway of her A'One shoes.

"Pink? Yeah, I don’t know if pink is my color but hopefully, they’ll make up a colorway that we can all appreciate in a way that we like to appreciate it," Staley said.

Dawn Staley will have to make do with the "Pink A'ura," which is the first iteration of A'ja Wilson's signature A'One shoes. The newest Nike shoe will be launched on SNKRS and select retailers in May 2025.

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Dawn Staley pays tribute to A'ja Wilson in star's jersey retirement ceremony

Dawn Staley and A'ja Wilson got to reconnect with each other on Sunday when South Carolina retired the latter's jersey in an emotional ceremony before the Gamecocks' showdown against the Auburn Tigers at Colonial Life Arena.

Staley paid tribute to Wilson and said her impact on the Gamecocks' program was "legendary." What made Wilson such a legend in Staley's eyes was not just her play on the court but also the way she handled the pressure of being a South Carolina player.

Former South Carolina player A'ja Wilson hugs head coach Dawn Staley before her jersey retirement ceremony at Colonial Life Arena on February 02, 2025 in Columbia, South Carolina. Photo: Getty

Wilson and Staley helped turn the Gamecocks into a college basketball powerhouse. They led South Carolina to its first NCAA title in 2017, beating Mississippi State 67-55 in the national championship game.

Wilson posted hugely impressive numbers during her time at South Carolina, setting program records in points scored (2,389) and blocks (363). She also made history by becoming the first person to win the SEC Player of the Year award three times.