Ahead of the women’s college basketball championship, Wilson and Chase teamed up with Boardroom to host an intimate dinner in Tampa to celebrate the new partnership.
A’ja Wilson continues to quickly solidify her legacy as the epitome of excellence in the WNBA, both on and off the court.
This past season, we saw Wilson put on another master-class clinic against her competition, returning from a season during which some say she was snubbed as league MVP, only to pick up her third award a year later. Not to mention, she did it all while in the lab with Nike, designing her own signature sneaker and apparel collection.
It’s safe to say that Wilson has set new expectations for what it means to be a top-tier athlete. As she continues to elevate her career off the hardwood, her latest partnership with Chase marks a significant milestone of her growing influence. This collaboration highlights her business acumen and further cements her position as one of the most impactful and inspiring figures in sports today.
Ahead of the NCAA women’s college basketball national championship game, Wilson and Chase teamed up with Boardroom to host an intimate dinner in Tampa to celebrate the new partnership. In attendance were Wilson’s new Las Vegas Aces teammate Jewell Lloyd, ESPN’s Ari Chambers, Monica McNutt, and Andraya Carter, her team at Klutch Sports Group, JPMorganChase executives Kate Schoff (Managing Director, Sports & Entertainment Strategy) and Tara Bakhle (Executive Director, Sports & Entertainment Marketing Strategy), and several other heavy hitters in the women’s sports space.
Moderating the conversation was Wilson’s former teammate, who she calls the “funniest and most honest” person, Sydney Colson, who joined the Indiana Fever during free agency earlier this year. Featuring moments of laughter and insight, Wilson shared why this collab with Chase makes the most sense at this moment in her career. In the two-time champion’s eyes, the financial services firm doesn’t view women’s sports as a trending topic but rather a movement that will withstand any future hurdles. They’re in it for the long run, which is all women athletes have asked of major brands.
“That’s how we continue to grow the game,” Wilson explained to Colson. “We can’t just stop because it’s cool or just want to be a part of it because it’s cool. No, invest in these women and watch them grow. And I think we see it today now more than ever, and I’m just grateful to be a part of it.”
Of course, the feeling is mutual for Chase. Throughout the evening, execs in attendance from the company lauded Wilson’s commitment to being the example for athletes at all levels, praising her eagerness to show that growth in women’s sports hinges on the dedication and effort of those willing to invest in it, which is why they were equally as excited to work with the University of South Carolina legend.
“A’ja Wilson is charting her own path, she is creating a legacy on and off the court that is inspiring her peers and the next generation to have big, bold dreams and to chase them,” Chase’s Schoff told Boardroom. “Our brand promise is to make dreams possible every day, everywhere for everyone, and A’ja embodies that spirit perfectly.”
Always one to praise those who hooped before her, Wilson credited the Hall of Famers who advocated for everything from equal pay to more visibility for stars of the league. Sheryl Swoopes was the very first W player to receive her own signature shoe in 1995. Now, 30 years later, the Nike A’One is headed to shelves in a few short weeks with a major buzz preceding its drop.
“The legends of our game, they laid the foundation down for us to be able to reap from the benefits and the seeds that they planted. Now, it’s on us to plant those seeds for the next generation to grow,” she said.
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Despite picking up that third MVP, winning her second gold medal last summer, and becoming one of TIME Magazine’s 2025 Women of the Year, Wilson enters her eighth year in the league with a chip on her shoulder. Why? She still has a lot to prove to anyone who continues to doubt her greatness.
“I don’t want to just be good. I mean, the good is cool, but I want to be great. I want to be legendary,” Wilson said. “So, whatever that looks like. I feel like I still have so much that I need to put out and pour into people and help our newcomers coming up in the system. I love to win, and I love the type of high that it gives you, so I never want to come down on that.”
Like we said last May, A’ja Wilson has always been — and will continue to be — the standard. Armed with the guidance of her mentors, her past and future career accomplishments will continue to reshape the conversation surrounding the advancement of women’s sports for years to come.
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