Barack Obama’s daughter directs A’ja Wilson in latest Nike A’One commercial

Las Vegas Aces superstar and WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson's Nike A'One signature shoe will be available to the public form May 6th.

Barack Obama’s daughter directs A’ja Wilson in latest Nike A’One commercial

Malia Obama, Barack Obama's daughter directed A'ja Wilson's A'One commercial (Image via Firstsportz)

A’ja Wilson has come a long way from being one of the pivotal pillars upon which South Carolina became a college basketball powerhouse. She is now a three-time league MVP and has won two championships with the Las Vegas Aces.

All of that has helped her earn the title of the best women’s basketball player on the planet. Usually, when a player gets such a moniker, her agent’s phone should be constantly ringing from potential brand partners. Her agent, Klutch Sports, has done a good job of figuring out what brands she should represent.

Other than the usual Gatorade and other lifestyle-oriented brands, the most important one was still going to be Nike. Last season, after rookie Caitlin Clark signed a monster deal with the sportswear giant, fans called out the conglomerate for ignoring the WNBA’s best player.

Soon, they announced that her signature shoe, A’One, would launch this year. The sneaker was teased earlier this year with a public release set for May. They had done all that was necessary to promote the sneaker, but every public release of a new signature shoe requires a major commercial campaign.

Nike, decided to design a commercial around the idea of inspiring young girls to dream. To helm the project, they brought in Barack Obama‘s daughter, Malia. The former first daughter has been slowly climbing the ranks in the world of film and TV.

Now, Malia Obama’s directed Nike A’One commercial has helped to officially launch Wilson’s signature line. The Las Vegas Aces star’s shoe comes in multiple colorways and will be available for purchase from May 6th onwards, starting at $110.

A’ja Wilson gifts A’One’s to Aces teammates

The price of the A’One signature shoe is affordable, especially when compared to other offerings from Nike. This could help lower-income households get their hands on A’ja Wilson‘s shoe, something that could help increase her popularity.

But when it came to her Las Vegas Aces teammates, she did not want them to spend their money on her shoes. Instead, at their practice earlier, she brought out a trolley full of her A’One’s in various sizes. All her teammates, including those who are on training camp contracts, got their hands on a pair.

They were all excited to get their hands on such signature shoes, as it is rare for players on the bottom end of the WNBA’s salary sheet to spend on such shoes. They were dancing, signing, and asking Wilson to autograph them, making their new possession a one off signature variant.

All of the Aces players received the Pink A’ura introductory version. But there are other colorways in the pipeline, with a Black limited edition already in the hands of Wilson’s best friend and Atlanta Dream star Allisha Gray and South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley.

Wilson and Aces spoil Paige Bueckers’ debut with dominant show

The first preseason game of the 2025 WNBA season was a showdown between A’ja Wilson and her Las Vegas Aces against the Dallas Wings. That meant it would also be the debut for No. 1 overall pick and NCAA national champion Paige Bueckers.

A'ja Wilson and Las Vegas Aces spoiled Paige Bueckers' WNBA debut
A’ja Wilson and Las Vegas Aces spoiled Paige Bueckers’ WNBA debut (Image via Open Source/X)

The Wings are a completely different team than last season. That meant they lack the chemistry that the much more experienced and championship-winning Aces possess. They got off to a slow start and struggled to keep pace with the home team to eventually being blown out, 78-112.

Paige Bueckers had a decent, productive debut, scoring 10 points, the best among the starters, and grabbed 4 rebounds and notched 1 assist. That is despite her shifting to play point guard, a role she has not been entrusted to handle since high school.

The UConn star will take some time to acclimate to the WNBA and her new teammates. She is playing in an all-new system after playing five years under Geno Auriemma. That takes time and patience. It might be a while before she starts to win games consistently.

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