WNBA superstar A’ja Wilson is speaking out after a recent interview moment involving longtime basketball reporter Rachel Nichols sparked backlash across social media.
The situation unfolded during a one-on-one conversation Nichols conducted with Oklahoma City Thunder guard and reigning NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
According to USA Today, Nichols, who previously spent years at ESPN before leaving the network in 2022, referenced a viral meme circulating in basketball circles. The joke suggested that Thunder president Sam Presti—known for his obsessive scouting habits—would already be evaluating the future child of Wilson and Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo.
Wilson and Adebayo, who confirmed their relationship earlier this year after months of speculation, have both been open about envisioning a future together.
Still, the leap from public relationship to hypothetical pregnancy didn’t sit well with the couple.
When Nichols posed the question to Gilgeous-Alexander—asking if Presti might already be preparing to scout their future child—the Thunder star responded carefully. “Sam takes his job very serious, and whatever it takes to be great, he will do,” he said, declining to lean into the joke.
Wilson, however, addressed the comment directly on social media after the clip went viral.
“You don’t think this a lil strange orrrr weird..???” Wilson wrote on Threads. “But I guess it’s a slow day in the office.”
Adebayo echoed her discomfort, posting a brief but pointed response of his own: “This is why privacy matters.”
Wilson, a four-time WNBA MVP and three-time champion with the Las Vegas Aces, has long been outspoken about controlling her narrative on and off the court. Adebayo, a three-time NBA All-Star, has similarly kept much of his personal life private despite his high profile.