After just six seasons, A'ja Wilson has solidified her case as one of the most valuable players in the WNBA. A two-time WNBA MVP, WNBA Champion and Defensive Player of the Year, her list of honors includes being a New York Times Bestselling author. With the Aces set to make history this season (again) as they look to secure a third straight WNBA championship, Wilson can't wait to see what her moment of celebration might look like. And it starts with Gatorade.
Remember those old black and white posters of MJ with his Gatorade colored sweats? A'ja is making it back as the new face of the brand, as Gatorade has officially announced that A'ja Wilson is the latest member of its elite athlete roster.
“It was huge. I think honestly, maybe it affected me where I was [the] The Super Bowl and I are doing a Gatorade ID activation channel,” 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, oh no, he's a Gatorade guy. You are among the goats of people in their fields and now I have a name for that. It was just a fun, fun ride. I think it's starting to hit me now that I'm starting to see it and be a part of it.”
Take a still image of the Finals, erase all the hues and highlight a few beads of orange sweat firmly, of course. Then throw the iconic Gatorade towel over his shoulders. “And instead of champagne, maybe just bottles of Gatorade because if we want a three-peat, it's Gatorade. the will he's been my runner right now,” Wilson said with a laugh. “So, instead of bottles of champagne, maybe bottles of Gatorade and sweat, just light.”
While the brand's Fruit Punch + Berry flavor has become a staple in the Aces locker room, Wilson's date has always been 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 overwhelmed when I received it [the Gatorade deal] because I'm like, I've been drinking this forever. Orange Gatorade will be my life forever. I love that, I love that flavor, it's No. 1 for me. It really starts in the high school days.”
A true partnership like this is a rare spirit. UA'ja is the consumer itself Gatorade has spent decades building its brand everywhere. After growing up obsessed with Michael Jordan's glass ads and canned Gatorade containers, Wilson is now leading the next generation of tastemakers, just as she has done in women's basketball for years. Her connection to the brand goes back to her days as a high school principal at Heathwood Hall Episcopal School, A'ja Wilson has been obsessed with Gatorade. A collection of tweets dating back to 2012 paints a pretty clear picture, one that truly represents the passion Wilson lives with both on and off the hardwood.
“Hey gas station, how are you running out of Orange Gatorade?” – June 2012.
“#100 things about me Orange Gatorade is my SHIT!” – July 2012.
When I was growing up, Gatorade was Wilson's favorite of all snacks and junk food. Not only was the taste not “high quality,” but the brand's grip on marketing to athletes struck a chord with Wilson at an impressionable age.
“I used to get very angry when I went to restaurants with my parents because they didn't have Gatorade. I'm just like, what else could be drinking? What should I drink? Because I felt it that that's what inspired the best athletes,” Wilson tells SLAM. “It felt like that was pumping through MJ's veins. It was like, no, I need that in my system. ”
And now, the previous 2013-14 Gatorade State Player of the Year he will be continuing his legacy alongside the brand that has been there throughout his journey.
“This is what you worked so hard for. This is what you wanted to follow. You wanted this. You wanted to be a part of this family because that's all you knew,” said Wilson as he thought about what his 18-year-old son would think now. “That's what fuels greatness. Winning a medal, it was cool, it was fun, but now you've grown up in that respect too. Like, yes, you've grown up on the court but you've also grown up with the brand. It was really nice to be a part of it. Although it is still the beginning, the best is yet to come.”
Photos by Gatorade.
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