(Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)
LeBron James only wants one thing for A’ja Wilson in the WNBA Finals: her own signature shoe.
After Wilson was named Finals MVP for the back-to-back champion Las Vegas Aces, James took to Instagram to call Wilson “THE FACT!!!!!” The NBA star gifted Wilson a pair before Game 1 of the Finals Custom signature Nike sneakers, which she wore throughout the series.
“Signature shoes are coming!!” he wrote on Instagram Stories. “I mean what we were talking about! Congratulations @aja22wilson.”
“Sister is telling the truth! The signature shoes are here!!”
LeBron James congratulates Aja Wilson and Las Vegas Aces on back-to-back WNBA championships 🏆
(pass @KingJames /IG) pic.twitter.com/UL3wvI8W2h
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) October 19, 2023
Of course, James isn’t the first to suggest Wilson should have his own shoes, and he certainly shouldn’t be the last. Several players have released shoes in recent years, including Breanna Stewart for Puma, and Elena Delle Donne and Sabrina for Nike ·Sabrina Ionescu.
Wilson is also a Nike athlete. So why shouldn’t she be added to the list? Aces head coach Becky Hammon said after Game 1 of the WNBA Finals that Wilson “needs her own shoes.”
“She’s a two-time MVP. “I’m going to blow her horn because she can’t,” she said. “Olympic gold medalist, two-year Defensive Player of the Year, her team’s (success)… .stop. stop. “
Wilson is biding his time, though.
“We’ll see what happens, but in due course I’m sure we’ll make some changes and shake ups. But I’m lucky enough to have my name mentioned in the conversation,” she told the Courier.
“A lot of players don’t get signature shoes, so when people say I should or demand that I get a signature shoe, I’m lucky enough to be in that situation. So, in due course, we’ll see, until then I will Shake these LeBron 21s until the heels fall off.”