"It made me nervous": A'ja Wilson heaves sigh of relief after Dawn Staley's 'top-tier' approval for blockbuster shoe debut

Las Vegas Acers star A'ja Wilson breathed a sigh of relief after South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley reviewed her shoes. In May, Nike is set to release the new A'One sneakers with the "Pink Aura" colorway. While it hasn't been released, Coach Staley had a chance to try it on.

The pair will be Wilson's first-ever signature shoe since joining Nike during her rookie season, in 2018. In December 2024, the two-time WNBA champion signed a six-year contract extension with the shoe brand.

On Wednesday, Staley talked about the first signature shoe of her former college star player.

"Comfortable? I don't like basketball shoes," Staley said. "I like comfort at my age. And I actually can wear them. I can wear them anywhere and feel like I don't need to take them off anytime soon.

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

In a post on X (formerly Twitter) Wednesday, Wilson was appreciative of the honest words from her former head coach.

"Coach wearing my shoe made me nervous cause she’s someone who will be OD honest with me and if she didn’t like them she would pull me aside and let me know so this stamp of approval is top tier 😂✨🩷" Wilson posted.

On Nike's website, the brand talked about designing the shoe for comfort and versatility. The design details are personalized to recall Wilson's family history. They also wrote that the shoes' look "carry forward the vibrancy and unapologetic realness central to her style."

A'ja Wilson got her college jersey retired by South Carolina

One way to honor an athlete for their excellence is by retiring their jersey. South Carolina did just that to the No. 22 jersey number of A'ja Wilson. On Sunday, Wilson's jersey was raised to the rafters in the Colonial Life Arena, her college team's arena.

"South Carolina shaped me, not just as an athlete but as a person," Wilson said during the ceremony. "As I look in the rafters and see my jersey, I am reminded how important it is to chase your dreams without fear."

A'ja Wilson played four years for South Carolina and helped the team win the 2017 NCAA title. She was also the NCAA Tournament MOP (Most Outstanding Player) that same year. The Aces star averaged 17.9 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks in the season where she led the team to a title.

During her four-year stay, the 6-foot-4 forward averaged 17.3 points, 8.7 rebounds and 2.6 blocks.