A’ja Wilson is one of the biggest names in basketball.
Not only is she a two-time WNBA champion, a three-time league MVP, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and an NCAA champion, but Wilson now has her own signature sneakers.
The first wave of online sales of the “Pink A’ura” edition of her Nike A’One shoes began early Tuesday morning. It also ended early Tuesday morning.
It took only five minutes for the kicks to sell out, Nike confirmed to The Times. But fear not, Wilson told her fans in an Instagram story later in the day.
“This morning was wild,” the Las Vegas Aces star and former South Carolina standout wrote. “If you missed the A’One, don’t worry. We’re dropping again Thursday at Nike stores and other spots everywhere.”
Additional A’One sneakers in different colors are also scheduled to be released later this month, including the “OG Pearl” edition on May 15.
In a statement, Nike said of Wilson: “Her debut shoe selling out in minutes is testament to her extraordinary talent and her impact on and off the court. We’re excited to see the response and look forward to bringing more A’One’s to Nike doors and marketplace partners throughout May.”
Nike hyped the sneakers’ release in recent days by dropping a pair of cinematic video ads — one directed by Jenn Nkiru, the other by Malia Obama, both featuring an earworm of a jingle set to the tune of “Mary Mack” (with new lyrics that start, “A’Ja Wilson’s on top, top, top …”).
“It’s special,” Wilson told Desert Wave Media of the release of her first shoe. “It really is. I’m so glad that a long two years of hard work is coming to life and everyone can enjoy it.”