A’ja Wilson is on a level of her own. With four MVPs, three titles, and seven All-Star selections, she’s being called the best player on the planet. Becky Hammon even said she’s “alone on Everest,” with no one else close on the Mount Rushmore of greats.

Recently, Wilson told Time that brands overlooked her for years for a signature shoe. She said, “If I have to be the one to take the bullet and wait it out, I’ll do it but I’ll make sure you don’t have to. I’ll be there every single time.”

Wilson said she worked hard and checked all the boxes to become a signature athlete, but waiting so long was frustrating because she saw others getting the opportunity. Still, she wants to help the next generation.

She doesn’t want young Black girls to ask, “Why not me?” Instead, she wants them to walk into the room confident and say, “Absolutely. It’s going to be me.”

So, she’s taking the lead, paving the way, and making sure they don’t have to wait like she did.

A’ja Wilson: Impact On And Off-Court

A'ja Wilson is building an empire off the court, too. She has landed major deals with brands like Google, Chase, PepsiCo, and AT&T. She can also be found cheering on her boyfriend, Bam Adebayo. But when she crosses the sidelines, that’s when she shines the most. In 2025, Wilson put up some crazy stats. She went on to score 23.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.6 steals per game.

What sets Wilson apart, though, is how much she cares about lifting others up. Through her Unapologetic Girls Summit, she's teaching around 100 girls every year about life skills and financial literacy. She'll tell you straight up that this work is her "real trophy." Moreover, the A'ja Wilson Foundation, which she launched with her parents, focuses on helping kids with dyslexia and fighting back against bullying.

She sums up her work ethic in a line, "Nobody cares. Work harder… I really showed that within myself this year." And now, her next target is to expand women’s sport so that every player can get more visibility and actual opportunities to grow the game even during the offseason.

Written by

Ishika Ghosh

Edited by

Oajaswini Prabhu