<\/p>\n
South Carolina Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley<\/a> once had one of her former players recognize her signature sneaker as a symbol of excellence. On Feb. 4 this year, an article was published by Aaron Dodson of Andscape. It\u00a0featured current Las Vegas Aces star A\u2019ja Wilson and covered her debut signature shoe, the Nike A\u2019One.<\/p>\n In the feature, Wilson<\/a> shared a story in which she found out about her former coach Staley\u2019s previous signature sneaker with Nike. Back in her sophomore year, Wilson said it was only then that she learned that Staley had her own shoe with the same brand, which she still displays on the Gamecocks\u2019 campus. When she was still playing professional basketball in 1999, Staley signed with Nike and debuted the Nike Air Zoom S5.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m always gonna have that case to show people, especially recruits, like, \u2018Hey, this shoe is mine. This is what I wore. This is what Nike gave me during my playing days.\u2019 And people have an appreciation for them,\u201d Staley was quoted<\/a> as saying.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Wilson then shared her reaction when she first saw Coach Staley\u2019s shoe on display.<\/p>\n \u201cI realized Coach Staley had a signature shoe my sophomore year at South Carolina. She actually had the silhouette in a case in her office. I remember walking in, like, \u2018Is this yours?\u2019 And she was like, \u2018My logo is on it, isn\u2019t it?\u2019 I was like, \u2018You\u2019re right. That is your shoe.\u2019 It\u2019s been really dope to see how long she\u2019s been changing the game of women\u2019s basketball, even with a signature shoe,\u201d Wilson said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Wilson is currently in her eighth season in the WNBA, all of which have been spent with the Aces. Much to the delight of Staley and the South Carolina faithful, Wilson has since become a three-time regular-season MVP, a two-time WNBA champion, and a four-time member of the All-WNBA First Team.<\/p>\n Read More<\/a>When Dawn Staley said A\u2019ja Wilson\u2019s shoe would resonate with everyone in the basketball world<\/p>\n In the same article, a quote by coach Dawn Staley from a 2021 interview, also with Andscape, was included.<\/p>\n She had claimed that A\u2019ja Wilson\u2019s signature shoe would be heavily favored by basketball enthusiasts everywhere. The Nike A\u2019One was released<\/a> on May 29 of this year.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a market for A\u2019ja Wilson. I think A\u2019ja could definitely pump her own shoe. There would be personality to it. There would be an ability to reach a lot of different people. I don\u2019t even know the population in South Carolina, but certainly everybody would be wearing an A\u2019ja Wilson signature shoe,\u201d Staley said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Staley is now heading into the 2025-26 college basketball season with the current crop of South Carolina Gamecocks<\/a> and is looking to win the program its fourth national title, third in the last five years.<\/p>\n Also Read<\/a><\/p>\n College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in football<\/a>, basketball<\/a>, and more!<\/p>\n\n
\n
\n