{"id":234458,"date":"2025-10-18T17:50:17","date_gmt":"2025-10-18T17:50:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/234458\/"},"modified":"2025-10-18T17:50:17","modified_gmt":"2025-10-18T17:50:17","slug":"aja-wilson-on-authenticity-success-and-the-future-of-sports","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/234458\/","title":{"rendered":"A’ja Wilson On Authenticity, Success, And The Future Of Sports"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Estimated5 min read<\/p>\n

A\u2019JA WILSON doesn\u2019t just walk on to the photo shoot set from wardrobe, she glows from the inside out with every step. It may sound cliche, but it’s true: She exists with an inner radiance that outshines even the blazing mid-summer sun in Las Vegas as she starts posing for the Women’s Health fall issue cover shoot.<\/p>\n

Donning her signature asymmetric leggings that cover her left leg\u2014a look that came about during her days as a South Carolina Gamecocks player, and soon became so popular among fellow hoopers and other athletes that Nike created a legging with her namesake\u2014the WNBA star is all smiles and sunny disposition. (A\u2019ja also launched her own footwear and apparel line<\/a> with the sports brand last year.)
<\/p>\n

She effortlessly palms a basketball in her right hand, and stands up tall (that\u2019s not just an idiom, A’ja is 6 foot 4), looking like a statuesque goddess amid the majestic desert background. <\/p>\n

When the cameras cut, a crew member apologizes to her for the scorching temps. \u201cDon\u2019t apologize for the heat, I live in this,\u201d she laughs, while grabbing a water bottle and taking a swig. Literally, she\u2019s talking about the weather in the place she\u2019s called home for the past five years, ever since she was the number one draft pick for the Las Vegas Aces\u2014but it’s hard not to see the double meaning. After all, she\u2019s metaphorically heating up, too.<\/p>\n

Since her professional career began in 2018, she helped lead her team to two WNBA championships, earned MVP four times<\/a>, and won two Olympic gold medals. Later this month, she\u2019ll be inducted into the University of South Carolina Hall of Fame for her outstanding leadership and record-setting achievements as a Gamecock. And, she doesn\u2019t plan to cool down any time soon. <\/p>\n

She\u2019s guided by the philosophy: \u201cGood, better, best. Never let it rest until your good is better and your better is best,\u201d a quote that\u2019s attributed to Tim Duncan, a former NBA player and coach. To A\u2019ja, those guiding words mean, \u201calways taking it up to the next level and expecting that out of yourself and others that are around you every single day,\u201d she tells Women\u2019s Health.<\/p>\n

Related Story <\/p>\n

But striving for the best doesn\u2019t mean compromising her well-being in the process. In fact, A\u2019ja is a big advocate of finding balance, and taking care of herself in a holistic way. \u201cI think we get caught up in seeing some of the [players] talk about how much they work and spend countless hours in the gym,\u201d she says. While yes, that may work for some people, A\u2019ja believes it\u2019s important to get \u201cthe appropriate rest that your body truly needs\u201d and find time to \u201cnot just rest your body, but your mind and soul, as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"a'jaBrian Lowe<\/p>\n

Los Angeles Apparel biketard, Nike jacket, sneakers, and socks; Versace sunglasses; A\u2019ja\u2019s own jewelry worn throughout<\/p>\n

How does she calibrate the balance between hard work and recovery? \u201cHonestly, just by listening to my body, hearing what it has to say\u2014it’s going to let me know, it\u2019s very apparent,\u201d says A\u2019ja. \u201cAnd I find comfort in resting and understanding that it’s just all a part of the process and the journey to get me to where I need to be. [Then], when it’s time to push through, I’m able to do so.\u201d<\/p>\n

After all, she\u2019s playing the long game\u2014and plans to have a lengthy, fruitful career in the WNBA. To A\u2019ja, training for longevity means \u201cutilizing my time off and my rest and making sure I get the appropriate things that my body needs,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n

That focus on her big-picture goals serves as A\u2019ja\u2019s north star. It empowers her to rely on intuition when making challenging choices, and that includes knowing when to lean in and when to step back. <\/p>\n

\"a'jaBrian Lowe<\/p>\n

Nike sports bra, leggings, socks, and sneakers.<\/p>\n

She remembers one instance earlier in her career where she was playing overseas, \u201cI got injured and I wanted to keep playing obviously to make more money, but my body was not letting me do so and I didn’t want to jeopardize long-term issues when it came to my knee,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

However, A\u2019ja didn\u2019t always have this kind of self-assuredness. There was a time when she struggled to believe in herself and her potential. With time, hard work, and the tutelage of her mentor and coach Dawn Staley, that chrysalis of insecurity began to crack\u2014and she emerged a more clear, confident A\u2019ja. \u201cI got to a point where I was just like fuck it\u2014like it or love it, I’m gonna be here. I deserve to be here. I’m working my butt off to get here, and I’m gonna make sure that I can show up as my true self every single day,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n

You could even say that authenticity is her superpower. At least, that\u2019s what Dawn tells me. The iconic coach says that in A’ja’s time as a Gamecock, her mentee stood out as a player because, \u201cA\u2019ja was her authentic self\u2014she gave everything to the sport, and she was unafraid to be vulnerable or bring her problems to me so we could navigate them together.\u201d <\/p>\n

Now, in all aspects of her life, A\u2019ja isn\u2019t afraid to be unapologetically herself\u2014and that shining genuineness is part of what makes A\u2019ja such a star, both on and off the court. <\/p>\n

\u201cI hope to let people know that being your real, true self is what gets you far in life.\u201d<\/p>\n

In fact, she sees authenticity as a characteristic that\u2019s integral to her success, and the kind of legacy she hopes to leave. \u201cI think [being a role model in my field] is only beneficial because I’m my true self. When people see me, they see me for who I am and they’re going to either accept it or not, but I’m going to never change in that sense,\u201d says A\u2019ja. \u201cI hope to use my platform for letting people know that being your real, true self is what gets you far in life. That\u2019s what makes you feel good inside so then you can help others be their true selves.\u201d<\/p>\n

A\u2019ja doesn\u2019t take her position in the spotlight lightly. As she continues to grow in her career, and take more steps on the path of greatness\u2014she refuses to lose sight of her power to make an impact, or let her influence go to waste. \u201cWhen young girls hear my name, I hope that they get a sense of a beacon of light that they can do whatever they put their minds to through hard work, but also do it their way,\u201d says A\u2019ja. \u201cNot the cookie-cutter way, not anyone else’s way, but for themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"three<\/p>\n

Photographed by Brian Lowe
Executive Visual Director Fabienne Le Roux
Styled by Rose Lauture
Makeup by Regina Craig using Dior Forever Skin Perfect
Hair by Myesha Jamerson using Oribe
Set Design by Danielle Von Braun
Production by Crawford & Co Productions<\/p>\n

Shot on location in the desert outside of @Vegas.<\/p>\n

\"Headshot<\/p>\n

Kristine Thomason is a writer and editor with over a decade of experience creating content for print and digital publications. Previously, she was the health and fitness director at mindbodygreen, and the fitness and wellness editor at Women\u2019s Health. Kristine’s work has appeared in Men’s Health, Travel + Leisure, Health, and Refinery29, among others. She holds a journalism degree from New York University, and is certified in personal training by the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM).<\/p>\n