After just six seasons, Aja Wilson has solidified her case as one of the best players in the WNBA. A two-time WNBA MVP, WNBA champion and Defensive Player of the Year, her list of accolades also includes being a New York Times best-selling author. With the Aces on the verge of making history (again) this season as they look to claim their third straight WNBA championship, Wilson can already imagine what her celebratory moment will be like. And it starts with Gatorade.
Remember those old black and white posters of MJ with his sweats highlighted in Gatorade colors? A’ja is bringing it back as the new face of the brand as Gatorade has officially announced that A’ja Wilson has become the latest member of their elite athlete roster.
“It was huge. I think, honestly, it probably hit me when I was at the Super Bowl and did the Gatorade ID activation station,” Wilson told WSLAM of his latest collaboration. “It was great to see it all come together. I think that’s when it really hit me like, oh no, you’re a Gatorade athlete. You are among the goats of people in their respective fields and now I have a name in it. It was just a fun, fun ride. I think it’s finally starting to hit me now that I’m starting to see it more and be a part of it.”
Take a still photo from the Finale, erase all the shades and highlight a few beads of sweat, of course, in strong orange. Then throw the iconic Gatorade towel over his shoulders. “And instead of champagne, probably just bottles of Gatorade, because if we go three-peat, Gatorade will be my stalker right now,” Wilson says with a laugh. “Yeah, definitely instead of bottles of champagne, maybe a few bottles of Gatorade and sweat just lit.”
While the brand’s Fruit Punch + Berry flavor has become a frequent fixture in the Aces’ locker room, Wilson’s first day was always the orange flavor. From AAU tournaments to playoff press conferences, Orange Gatorade has always been a part of his journey.
“That’s why I was so stoked when I got it (the Gatorade deal) because I’ve been drinking this forever. Orange Gatorade will forever be my life. I love it, I love the taste, it’s #1 for me. It really starts in high school.”
A partnership this true is rare. A’ja is exactly the kind of consumer that Gatorade has spent decades building its brand around and for. After growing up in awe of Michael Jordan’s glass and canned Gatorade containers, Wilson now leads the next generation of tastemakers, as she has for years in women’s basketball. Her association with the brand dates back to her dominating high school days at Heathwood Hall Episcopal School, Aja Wilson was obsessed with Gatorade. A collection of tweets dating back to 2012 paints a pretty clear picture that truly represents the passion Wilson lives with on and under the stick.
“Dear Gas Station, How are you running out of Orange Gatorade?” – June 2012
“#100thingsoutme Orange Gatorade is my SHIT!” – July 2012.
Growing up, Gatorade was Wilson’s go-to for every random snack and meal. Not only was the taste “top notch,” but the brand’s understanding of athlete marketing struck Wilson at an impressionable age.
“I would be so mad that I would go to restaurants with my parents because they didn’t have Gatorade. I’m just like, what else is there to drink? What should I drink? Because I felt like it that it’s what fuels great athletes,” Wilson tells SLAM. “It felt like it was running through MJ’s veins. Like, no, I need that in my system.”
And now, the former 2013-14 Gatorade State Player of the Year will continue his legacy alongside the brand that has always been there throughout his journey.
“This is what you worked so hard for. This is what you wanted to go after. You wanted this. You wanted to be a part of this family because that’s all you knew,” says Wilson as she wonders what her 18-year-old self would think now. “That’s what fuels greatness. Winning the award was great, it was great, but now you’ve even grown up then. Like, yes, you grew up on the court, but you even grew up with the brand. It was really fun to be a part of. Although it’s just the beginning, the best is yet to come.”
Photos via Gatorade.
