As Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James gears up for the 2023-24 NBA season, the WNBA season has come to an end. The 2023 WNBA Champions were officially crowned on Wednesday night, when A’ja Wilson and the Las Vegas Aces stormed back to defeat the New York Liberty and secure their second consecutive title. With 24 points and 16 rebounds, Wilson tallied her first WNBA Finals MVP.
Wilson has already won two regular season MVP awards and has quickly become one of the most decorated players in WNBA history at 27 years old. She has enough accolades to last a lifetime, but clearly has no interest in slowing down. The South Carolina native is only adding to her impressive collection.
And James, the Lakers star and one of basketball’s most powerful figures, teased something new for Wilson’s ledger, a signature shoe, via Oruny Choi of Complex:
“Signature shoe coming!!”
LeBron James teasing Nike’s next signature athlete: A’ja Wilson
She won Finals MVP and her second title wearing a special Nike LeBron 21 PE. pic.twitter.com/RN5FkNaf6j
— Oruny (@OrunyChoi) October 19, 2023
Wilson accepted that first Finals MVP award while wearing a pair of James’ signature shoes. It was after posting a dominant performance to lead the Aces in an impressive comeback victory. The James shoe she wore was a special edition LeBron 21 PE.
It’s an incredible moment for both James and Wilson. For James, he gets to see one of the inarguable best players in the last generation of women’s basketball wear his shoes, one of many signals of his impact on the basketball world.
Wilson, meanwhile, gets to add a collaboration with one of the greatest men’s basketball players of all time to her already incredible pro career. Nike sneaker fans should be anxiously awaiting the arrival of Wilson’s first signature shoe.
Austin Reaves wants to tell kids he won title with James
Another sign of the impact James has had on the basketball world is comments from James’ own teammate, Lakers guard Austin Reaves.
Reaves has already begun cementing himself as a starting-caliber player in the NBA and figures to play arguably the third largest role on a championship-contending team.
But his goal this season is nothing personal, it’s to win a championship so that he has the ability to tell his future children that he won a championship next to James. LeBron leading L.A. to a championship in his 21st season would be among his most impressive feats in a nearly flawless Hall of Fame career.
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