A’ja Wilson used Las Vegas Aces media day to preview more than just a new season – blending a bold superhero-inspired look with reflections of growth, leadership, and an evolving off-court presence. As she steps into a new chapter personally and professionally, Wilson hinted at a refreshed mindset, a strengthened brand, and an unshakeable drive heading into the 2026 WNBA season.
When Aces star player A’ja Wilson walked into media day sporting a new look, as she’s known to do each year, she credited her “glam squad” saying they make sure she’s “good” and “extra.” She talked a little about the inspiration to change up her hair for media day.
“There’s just something about just changing my hair a little bit for media day. I think it brings me a little bit of joy that the season’s beginning,” she told the media. “This one, we kind of went with the Jean Grey type of vibe with X-Men. She is a superhero that is pretty, pretty powerful. And I kind of went with this just to kind of give you those vibes.”
Wilson didn’t slow down much during the off season. She managed to stay booked and busy off the court with Nike on a European tour to “push my brand and the A’One and now the A’Two.”
“It’s been full of joy and blessings. I’ve had an incredible off season just removing myself from basketball, which is really hard, but at the same time I think it gives me a nice type of renewal. It makes me miss the game a little bit to come back and be kind of fresh,” Wilson said. “And had tons of fun with my family, my friends. It’s been a very blessed off season for me.”
Wilson also shared that she’s about to turn 30 this year and she’s “taken every niblet of advice in life” from her parents heading into her new year.
Talking about her A’One and A’Two shoes, the topic of 90s nostalgia joined the chat.
“I am a 90s baby. And so when it came to just the vibes and the nostalgia of it, it’s something that I wanted to make sure that I could capture, especially when it comes to Black culture,” she said. “I think that was a powerful moment for me.”
She further explained that she wanted to bring that 90s vibe into her brand “because it’s literally a piece of me” and she could “relate to a lot of different cartoons” growing up.
When the topic changed to the CBA negotiations and looking ahead to this season, Wilson shared how “powerful” it is that the players joined forces with one goal in mind.
“It’s super powerful. It really is. It’s something that I am always so in awe of when it comes to our league. It’s particularly some of the women in our league, how we really capitalize on our voices, we really capitalize on the platform that we have,” she shared. “There is nothing better than a room full of women that have one goal, and they want to make sure they obtain it.”
She added, “If you want something, you got to stand on it and you can’t move from it, you can’t let anyone shake you from it, and I think we spoke to that when it came to the CBA.”
And while she said she’s “grateful,” she’s also “greedy” and want’s “a little bit more for us.”
“And I don’t really care who has anything to say about that, but I’m also very thankful to be part of a league that is just so united,” she continued, before sharing a few words about Beyonce, who fans know she simply loves.
“She’s that girl. When you look at greatness, when you try to grasp how people are so great, it’s kind of like how Beyonce represents herself, being who she always is,” Wilson said. “I’m pretty sure she has her days, but I would never know.”
When asked what keeps her driven and motivated, Wilson said the “real answer” is “people.”
“The real answer is I like making people mad. I like proving people wrong. I like to kind of let people just burn because me and my team are doing great or they never could have imagined it would be me in this situation or my team in this situation. That’s the real answer,” Wilson explained. “Politically correct answer — the youth, the kids make me go. The kids, the next generation inspiring them to be able to use their platform, their voice, and who they are and be and live that truth is what inspires me to continue to be that tangible role model for them.”
She added that seeing a young child have an opportunity to dream while believing that they can accomplish something is what “truly makes me keep going.”
Wilson said that while the league continues to evolve, she wants it to be a “dogfight every single night.” And going into the season looking for their fourth championship, Wilson said the league’s growth doesn’t make it more difficult for the team.
“We want it to be a dogfight every single night, only because that’s what makes us great,” she said. “That’s what makes the product something that people want to watch and come and support, so I don’t think it’s going to be a problem.”