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Zena Keda
For the athletic I'm Zena Keda and this is the Athletic Women's Basketball Show. Welcome to another special edition of the Athletic All Access where we tap in with influential voices around the world of women's hoops. Before we dive in, it's my job to make sure you are subscribed to this pod wherever you get your Podcasts to make sure you're not missing out on conversations and insights like you're about to hear. For today's episode, we're talking to a megastar in the world of women's basketball who's also at the intersection between sports and fashion. You've seen her grace the COVID of magazines this past season, and now she's dropping a new shoe. We're going to talk to her and the mastermind designer behind it. Don't go anywhere. Let's get right into it. Joining us today is a true game changer in every sense on the court. She's three time WNBA MVP or as Sue Bird would say, thrice a two time champion, a star forward for the Las Vegas Aces, and two time Olympic gold medalist. Whew. Let me catch my breath. Off the court, she is a trailblazer shaping the future of women's basketball. And now she's adding another milestone to her legacy, dropping her first ever signature sneaker this year. Asia Wilson, welcome to the Athletic Women's Basketball Show.
Asia Wilson
Hi. Thank you for having me.
Zena Keda
Of course, of course. Well, let's dive right in. It's really exciting to finally get to see some of the details around your shoe and get to see it in person. Love the color, for sure. The, the thing that really stood out to me was the pearl motif that's throughout the entire shoe. And we know that that ties back to your grandmother. For those of you that have read the book or listened to the book as I did, I just keep thinking of the clog story. I just keep thinking about the clogs and I'm thinking about the stories that you have with your grandmother when it comes to your shoe. Like, what are some of the personal stories that are woven throughout this design that fans might not be able to immediately recognize?
Asia Wilson
Ooh, I would have to say there's a lot of Easter eggs throughout the shoe that represent me and my family. Whether it's just words that I've said or whether it's just literally the tattoos from my body that is on the inner tongue of the shoe. And I think we just as my group and the A1 team at Nike, we really wanted to make sure that the consumer really has a piece of me. It's not just the signature, it's literally like a piece of me. And I feel like I'm always big on that. Whether it's in the community, whether it's just in the basketball world, like making sure that the fans understood, like the story that we wanted to tell, whether that is just like Being true to yourself, being unapologetically you. Like, that is so key when it comes to the A1. And I think you will see that multiple times throughout the shoot.
Zena Keda
I love that you said that. The A1 team, first of all, that's crazy. You have a team. Okay, that's insane to say out loud. I love that for you, but you want to make sure that fans feel you. I want to know, at what point during the design process did you feel like, oh, this is me. Like, I'm really actually showing up through this shoe, and people are going to be putting on this shoe and thinking of me. At what point did you really feel like the shoe was yours?
Asia Wilson
I would have to say when I finally just saw the final piece of it, when I actually got to hold it. And I'm like. Because I would see different variations of the shoe throughout the process because of just material wise and just different things that we had to get together. So then when I finally saw the shoe in the pink aura of the shoe, I was like, oh, no, this is me. Like, this is literally what myself and my team has really put together to make and create this lovely shoe. And that there I was like, it was all that I needed. It was the whipped cream, the cherry, everything on top. Because I was like, this is the journey that I've been waiting for and we've been working towards. Finally, I'm holding it in my hand. So I think that was just a special moment for me. So, yeah, it's like, now I'm excited for everyone else to have it in hand.
Zena Keda
What about when you put it on?
Asia Wilson
Yeah, when I put it on, of course, obviously, I was like, okay, yeah, this is nice. But I had to get pat through the fact that, like, no, this is my shoe. Like, I'm no longer wearing another Nike athlete's signature shoe. Like, this is. So, yeah, once I got past that and I laced them up, I was like, oh, and it's comfortable. We can hoop now. I can go. The work is now. The work is fun.
Ben Pickman
Now, you mentioned some of those other Nike signature athletes. Obviously, there is a long lineage of them. Did you pick the brains of LeBron or Sabrina or KD as you were going through the design process here, or no. Was this kind of more so just you driving the bus?
Asia Wilson
Yeah, no, I didn't. I didn't. It was more so of just my team behind me putting together different lookbooks, different things for me and storytelling and the stories that I've told. And we really kind of came together and realized what Shoe is going to be best for me. So, no, I really didn't pick the reins from other signature athletes. I kind of went in there with the vibes and the honesty that I had with my team, and we kind of met in the middle with a lot of things and that's what I was appreciative of. It wasn't just like, okay, well, we've done this before. Like, let us do it. And it wasn't, well, I'm the athlete. Listen to everything that I say. Like, no, it was more. So we met in the middle and we created an awesome piece and I love it. Yeah, it means a lot.
Ben Pickman
But did you pick Dawn's brain? I guess. Did you show her throughout the process or. I guess then, okay, so if the answer is no, what is her reaction to it? What is her feedback on the shoe itself?
Asia Wilson
I don't even think Coach Daily's seen the shoe. My parents haven't seen the shoe. So, like, not a lot of people have seen this work of art. So we really kept it close knit because that's how much we've cared about it. That's how much we've poured into it. And it's like, I've always. What we've been saying is, like, we wanted to know and let people know how intentional we were into every detail. And I kept it close to heart because I wanted everyone that I love to really see it all at once and see, like, all the hard work that has really paid off with their help along my journey. So, yeah, no one has really seen it. It's really kind of just been me and my squad.
Zena Keda
I would tell you, I feel really special right now having seen the shoe. I mean, the fact that your family hasn't even seen it yet. So now I'm thinking about the shoe, particularly from the perspective of being a big. I was a big in college, which is a joke. I'm like six feet. But, you know, as a big girl, like when I was coming up, we're going through East Bay Magazine, we're looking through for. Looking for shoes, et cetera. And there was always a little bit more preference for the guards. Right. The guards had their shoes out there. There wasn't as much of a traditional front court player that had a popular shoe. I want to know, like, why do you think that is? And how do you think that your shoes can change that narrative?
Asia Wilson
Yeah, I mean, I really wanted my shoe to really change the narrative. Out the gate. I feel like I've even had a conversation with Ben. Like, I didn't want the stigma of the big man shoe, whatever that looks like, But I did not want that stigma. And I wanted it to be me. I didn't really want it. I even took garden post out of it because I just wanted something that could be durable, sustainable for any athlete. Not necessarily just a basketball player. It could be a volleyball player, it could be a adult, a child. Like, my thought process was really thinking about every consumer that I could think about. And so, yeah, I remember those days looking through East Bay and circling ones and wanted to be having that. And I kind of still wanted to bring that feeling to life when it came to the shoe. I wanted my shoe to pop off the page. I wanted the young. I was thinking about like a young kid when they're looking at it, can they gravitate to it and to see it really bring, like, brought to life. I think we executed it perfectly. So, yeah, I really didn't go in thinking, okay, this has to be a shoe for us post or a shoe that only a guard. Like, no, I want it to be the best of both worlds. Like, why do we have to cut off different things when we can have it all? Like, if you're going to say that I can have it all, I'm going to take it.
Zena Keda
Go ahead. I like it.
Ben Pickman
But in terms of use case, I guess, did you think about, you know, how much did you want your shoe to feel like a lifestyle sneaker versus a performance sneaker that is just a basketball sneaker? How were you kind of weighing that as through the design process?
Asia Wilson
I wanted it to be the best of both worlds. I wanted it to shoe that you can dress up and down, whether you want to be on quarter off court, court kids at recess, kids that want to wear it to their recitals, their like, their course recitals, like anywhere. I wanted my shoe to feel that and I hope that they can like, really see that when it comes to just the details of the shoe. But at the same time, I think I was big on just being comfortable. I didn't want something that I had to worry about throughout the game. I didn't want something that people had to worry about throughout just their everyday lives. Had to be just making sure that people are comfortable, it looks good and you can move in it.
Zena Keda
All right, let's talk about the legacy, because that was something that was throughout your entire book, the impact that you've had, I think in just. I'm older, but I can imagine how many people listen to that story and, and felt as if they were getting to know you, but also getting to know themselves. I'm thinking about this shoe within the marketplace and doing the same thing. There are so many different Nike shoes out there. Not only a men's side, of course. Sabrina's got her shoes as well. How does this shoe pop off the page? Not just in color, but the feel of it, the look of it, the use case of it. Like, how do you differentiate your shoe in the marketplace?
Asia Wilson
I just feel like maybe just the look of it, I would honestly say it's something that really pops. I was even skeptical about selling an all pink shoe because I'm like, oh, how is this going to look on the market? But at the same time, when my team came back with me, they're like, no, this is. This is something that people may want. The energy, the vibe, it matches you, it fits you. And I think that's kind of what can separate is like when you see this shoe, you're thinking of me, you're thinking of boldness, you're thinking of vibrant colors, and that's what people gravitate to. And on top of that, it's comfortable. You could do it. But at the same time, you have stability. You don't feel like it's too, too comfortable to where it's like, okay, I can't. I'm doing too much in it can't cut. So, yeah, I feel like it's like it's the. You literally have the best of a lot of worlds, and it's from all different sizes. And I'm so excited just to see the collection just blossom in the marketing world because it's a nice. It really is.
Zena Keda
It is. It's pretty.
Ben Pickman
Last question we'll ask. Have to end on a basketball one, obviously. Las Vegas Aces. A lot of news around them early in free agency. Your longtime teammate Kelsey Plum going to Los Angeles Sparks. Jewel Lloyd coming in from the Seattle Storm. Just what's kind of your reaction to KP going out and Jewel coming in?
Asia Wilson
Yeah, I mean, obviously it's tough in this business. You may. You lose a lot of people that you form a lot of great bonds with. But at the same time, I'm super excited for the welcoming of Jewel. Obviously, the addition to her is going to change our whole look as the Aces. Yes, it's awful that we had to like KP's now in LA, but I think KP is going to be in a great situation in a vibe for her. And that's what brings me. That's what brings me happiness. Because at the end of the Day you have to do what's best for you. And she's doing that. And so I'm super excited to get to training camp and to kind of revamp a little bit of the aces and get back on track, because I feel like we have a lot of unfinished business that we need to take care of.
Zena Keda
Okay, well, it looks like this business when it comes to the shoe has been handled, and we're very, very excited to see it on your feet and hopefully the feet of many people across America and the world. Really appreciate you breaking down this shoe for us. Asia Wilson and for joining the Athletic Women Basketball Show.
Asia Wilson
Thank you so much.
Zena Keda
Okay, so we just finished talking to Asia about her new shoe, but I think we actually have an even more exciting conversation because we're going to talk to the mastermind behind the shoe. We got Ben Natonkom, the senior footwear designer from Nike Basketball, joining us. Ben. There's a lot of Ben's going around here. Got Ben Pickman here to also talk with us. But, Ben, thank you for joining the Athletic Women's Basketball Show.
Ben Ntonkum
Thanks for having me here. Appreciate it.
Zena Keda
Of course. All right, for everyone listening, we got to back it up. Tell us a little bit about what you do for those that don't know what it means to be a footwear.
Ben Ntonkum
Designer from a technical standpoint, I'm a footwear designer. My job is to take an idea from the athlete's mind. In this case, Asia, she has a very loose idea what she has in her head, and translating that onto a sheet of paper to put together a visual representation of what the footwear looks like. And then from there, we start building out the architect of it to make sure that the shoe will perform on court. And we leverage the expertise of Nike and all the engineers and developers and partners overseas to build the shoe. In short, I, I, I help Asia and other athletes. Dreams come true.
Zena Keda
I love that. I love that. Okay, so my first big question is going to be, where do you get inspiration? I've seen a few videos about particularly the Kyries, but of course, you've worked on multiple shoes around the Nike atmosphere of athletes. Art, music, science seems to be really your thing. Where do you get inspiration?
Ben Ntonkum
Honestly, it comes from anywhere and everywhere. Could be listened to a podcast. It could be film, could be listening to a song. In this case, for us, we did some digging on our own of why Asia is so unique and very special, and we landed on the idea of, like, the journey of basketball started with her being gifted that pearl necklace from her grandmother and we thought that was really cool, like, the starting point of her journey into becoming a superstar. So we use that as our inspiration point in this case.
Ben Pickman
Do you really just, like, on another mechanical level, like, does this process start with you just kind of sitting down with Asia, like, having a conversation much like this? Like, what kinds of things are you asking to kind of start to draw out those motifs and the symbols and all the little Easter eggs on the show?
Ben Ntonkum
I'll be honest. In this case, we, because of schedule, was so, so busy on her side that we were able to meet the very first. First time on Zoom Over Zoom. And what I did was like, hey, I've never met her prior, but we got to, like, have an icebreaker moment. So didn't have, like, an actual, like, direction in that moment, but I had a few. Had a couple of ideas and some nuggets, and we did like, a. Like, a little Q and A. And like, we kind of projected it on a zoom, like, hey, are you feeling hot or cool about this idea? And then we land on something ultimately. But there are some bad ones. I'd say there are some misses more than. More than makes in that conversation. But what it did was, like, it quickly broke the ice. She kind of, like, it built confidence very quickly just by having an actual casual conversation with the athlete to make them feel like, this is yours and you can. You own this. We're here as partners to help you build your dreams.
Ben Pickman
Is that a mix of both kind of personal stories and, like, personal style preferences or. And is that. Or is that also a mix of, like, what kind of shoe do you like? Do you like a high top? Do you like a low top? Do you like more cushion? Do you like less cushion? Like, are you doing all kinds of things in that conversation?
Ben Ntonkum
Personally, I really want to remove myself from the product because I really want this to be uniquely hers. And, yeah, otherwise, you start designing the same shoe over and over and over. Right. And in this case, yeah, like, she does have a lot to offer. I've worked with others before that they're more game with, like, Nike, bring me something that's really unique. But for her, she already had a few ideas, like, established. And we land on an idea that we both agreed on that was pretty dope.
Zena Keda
I'm really happy that you mentioned that. Trying to make sure that you're not making the same shoe over and over. And I'm sure you looked at the way that Asia plays and incorporated that into it. When you think of what Asia represents on the court, footwork in the post, out the post, in the midi, I'm being a fan. But everything that she does out on the court, what influenced some of the design work and how did that be? How was that incorporated?
Ben Ntonkum
Right? So that was my approach at first. Like, yo, so your midi's nice, your game's nice, you're all over the court. She's like, yeah, that's cool. But I get to design my own Nike signature shoe now. I want to show the other side that people don't see. Oh, okay, that. And then I started, like, breaking down, like, all right, tell me more, because I know of you just on tv, on social media, but tell me things that I wouldn't know about you. Like, what's your. If you were to give me a story of, like, how do you express yourself? What's your sense of style? What would. How would you describe that? And she took a minute and a pause. She goes, I'm kind of like a perfect blend of Hillary and Will together. And I was like. I was like, oh, my God. That's like the ultimate unlock. Like, yeah, I can see that.
Zena Keda
That's amazing. Yes, I can absolutely see that. I'm thinking of her tunnel fits right now, and she is right down the middle.
Asia Wilson
So.
Ben Ntonkum
And there are days where she's Hillary, some days she's Will, and some days she's both. And so, like, how do we bring that into the footwear that. Oh, my God. Like, no other athlete has given that gem before early on the process. And so that was our unlock.
Zena Keda
I love that. Oh, my God. Sorry, Ben, go jump in.
Ben Pickman
I was gonna. I was gonna say, I think you used the keyword gem here, and it seems like gem, or should we say pearls are kind of the. The through line, the motif that threads through the whole shoe. You know, she talked a little bit about it, but can you just explain for people how you took that idea and this story as it relates to her grandmother, you know, this gift that she. She was given back when she was a kid, and how that is kind of expressed into various elements all across the shoe.
Ben Ntonkum
So there's, like, getting nerdy for a second. Ben, there's, like, a formula for every, like, successful, iconic basketball shoe is like, you have, like, I'm giving out pearls right now. You have, like, the soul, you have the product, and you have just the other secret sauces, but you can't design one without the other. Right? And so for us, like, if we design the best performing basketball shoe ever, but it lacked storytelling or lack narrative. It just doesn't make it special. In this case, we needed to blend the performance with the personality of Asia to make it a very special shoe. So I come with expertise of, like, knowing how to build a basketball shoe that she can use and perform and be the best on court. But without her giving us the extra sauces to make her shoe unique, it wasn't going to be special. But that being said, we knew that she needed comfort on the court, and so we definitely, like, doubled down on, like, what worked for her. And the first time we met on Zoom, I put out a chart, like, hey, here are some existing technologies. Which one of these speaks to you the most? And at the moment in this conversation, she was wearing the Cosmic Unity 3 a lot. And she says, underfoot sensation. I love how that felt. I love how that foam is close to my foot. Other setups just didn't quite have the same sensation for me. So we took that idea of, like, having this foam being closer to the foot. And also the formulation in the chemistry of that foam was used on an actual shoe as well. I thought that was something we can extract that's from her as well, not just from us. And in addition to that, like, she's like, but it's got to look cute. It's got to be dope. It's got to be fly. These have queen energy. And so the expression of the shoe had to come alive too. So, like, in this image here or the shoe here, although that foam is inside the product, I wanted this frame around it to be illustrious, to be iridescent, to be color shifting, to draw attention to that piece of technology that you would never really see if we didn't tell you about it.
Zena Keda
Ben, do I want to become a footwear designer? I am so inspired right now. This is so dope. I'm wondering of all the different things that you wanted to bring to life in the narrative of this shoe, in the storytelling of this shoe, were there any requests that Asia had that were challenging or surprising? I mean, we've got the pearl motif, but there's also tattoos in the tongue. I mean, any requests that threw you off?
Ben Ntonkum
All right, so the tattoo story here. Story time, guys. It was. She had a game in Seattle. The team and I got in a car and drove up there. What's supposed to be a three hour journey became six, because Taylor Swift came in town and traffic was bonkers. Even her team, like, the plane landed and she couldn't leave her her port because the traffic in Seattle, it was crazy. To Taylor Swift looks real that we. The meeting Supposed to be at 2 became like a 6:30pm super late. We got through the meeting and towards the tail end, like, she rolled her sleeve up just to, like, as she's getting up, ready to leave. And as she was doing it, it unveiled, like, these, like, tattoos. Like, oh, dope. Was that new ink said, oh, no, not really. But, like, these, like, kind of resembles my mother and dad. I'm like, whoa, I've never seen that. Could not take pictures of it. Would you be into, like, having that be told in your product somewhere? She's like, oh, yeah, that'd be pretty cool. It was like a very last minute leaving the room, discovery. And then the next time we met, I'm like, we gotta show her this on the shoe somewhere. So we place it on the shoe and we unveiled the product. And she saw the shoe and, like, that's when the tears came down. She's like, oh, my God. She didn't think it was gonna make it on the product. It was gonna be more like a storytelling piece, but it's actually an insignia in the tongue, and it drove the idea home when she saw it on the product.
Zena Keda
That is so cool. I love how serendipitous it was. Like, the fact that you were able to see it, just her coming off, just being able to stand up. And also it's true. I would have imagined something like that maybe being on the box of the shoe. Right. Rather than actually incorporating it into the shoe. That's really, really impressive. You also designed shoes for Sabrina, another WNBA player. If you were to compare these two in terms of the tech. Right. I love the story about the foam from the Cosmic Unity, but if you were to compare these two in terms of the tech, how would you say they differentiate each other?
Ben Ntonkum
Absolutely. I'll start with. So what's really great is, like, Sabrina and Asia are very, like, bookends of the product construct. Sabrina is more about, like, low profile, low to the ground court feel and feeling the ground, where Asia talks about comfort and there's this bouncy feel that she needs for her style of play. Now, they both need cushioning. They both need low to the ground profile. But you start to, like, if you meet in the middle, then you have a vanilla design. You're not quite getting after, like, a sharp point. Sabrina is about, like, getting all over the court and shifty, where Asia is more about, like, that verticality and also, like, being comfort on the court. So I definitely use that as an inspiration point for the both of them and creating distinct direction between the Two product.
Marc Maron
Wow.
Ben Pickman
You know, we've already seen obviously two versions of the Sabrina shoe. And I'm not going to say that there's already going to be a second version of the Asia shoe. I won't, I won't put you on the record to say that, but I guess if we were going to expect an evolution in this shoe, I guess how do you kind of plan as even you're creating the first one for evolutions and future iterations? How are you kind of weighing that as you're launching a shoe for the very first time?
Ben Ntonkum
It's never easy to, let's just say like the one hasn't technically debut yet and we've already started on the next version. That's the we. We told Asia, like, listen, you got to wear your big girl pants. This is your signature athlete. The greats of the greats had to do the same thing. And this is part, this is part of the journey. And so she was with it. She was like, I am with it. I'm ready to do this. You mentioned 2, but like, I mean it's already 20, 25. Think about the 3. But that's another conversation. With that being said, I mean there is something about ownable icons that we want to have each athlete possess. Sabrina, we had like the Sabrina ones about embroidery and crafted detail because she's like a craft person on the court with Asia. She's got that glam, she has that aura that we definitely want to maintain, harness and continue to tell that story as we get into future products. And like the bottom says the best is yet to come. But. And that's true. We have so much more to offer and this is just a start of her journey into the signature line.
Ben Pickman
How do you think about in terms of a shoe design? Like, you know, you guys are obviously investing in WNBA players and these are WNBA signature athletes. Sabrina and Asia, like gender neutral shoes. Shoes that appeal to, to everybody or to a specific demographic. How do you kind of weigh that in this process? And I guess also in Sabrina's and going forward too, I don't know.
Ben Ntonkum
That's like actually something that I think through. I think first thing is like this needs to be Asia, right? And we know for sure we have all the information of knowing how to build the best performance basketball shoe. And if we get those two things right, it will naturally just echo and reverberate throughout the world. Not just her league, but also the guys league three on three and so on and so on. And she talked about that like, even though it's more about her. The shoe definitely needs to be appealing for across the board, INCL and kids included. So. But however, from our experience working with other like, like Sabrina for saying if the shoe is fire for her, it will be fire for everybody else.
Ben Pickman
That's why that shoe is so popular across all leagues demos. It's like the most popular shoe in the NBA right now or one of them, certainly.
Zena Keda
There you go. Now we're going to close out the podcast here. I got to ask you, what is your favorite part of the shoe design process?
Ben Ntonkum
Oh, my lord. I gotta be honest. Working with Asia is the favorite part. I work with so many athletes already, and they're all great. Absolutely. Asia has that genesis quoi about her that when. When she comes in, like, I'm energized for every time we're about to meet with her. I'm energized to, like, I can't wait to show her this next thing. I can't wait to unveil this. I can't wait to surprise her with the logos and tattoos because I know that when she sees it, it's just good energy and bring about that, like, it. She. She had that infectious, like, the team leader attitude on court, but when you come into, like, an actual product review meeting, our color designers, our material designers, our graphic designers, everyone felt like, I think creatives are naturally introverts, but she draws out, like, that energy from everyone to be their best. And how cool is that? Like, you can, like, take someone who's kind of, like, shy, but make them super open, and then that makes the work even better. So I feel like that was something that is uniquely different with Asia than other athletes.
Zena Keda
I'm really happy I asked you that question. There is a reason why Asia Wilson feels as if she is all of our best friends. That's a real thing. Ben Tonkham, thank you so much for taking the time to break down this shoe, to break down your. Your process in creating this special shoe. Expect this out later on this year, folks. Expect it out on the court. I'm loving the pink is going to pop on the court for sure. But thank you so much, Ben, for joining the athletic women's basketball show.
Ben Ntonkum
Absolutely. It's my pleasure. Thank you for having me here.
Zena Keda
Thank you so much to Asia Wilson and Ben Ntonkum for coming on the show, giving us the little background insight and knowledge into the new A1s. I am very excited to see those hit the court later on this year. And for those of you waiting, these shoes are coming out this season, so make sure you're saving your coins to go out and get some of those. But appreciate you guys joining the show. Ben Pickman, thank you for co starring on this with me, getting the real questions out there. And to you all, thank you. Appreciate you all as always for tuning in. And make sure you go get this content on the Yahoo Sports hub because we got it there as well. Sports.yahoo.com women's sports where you're going to get that best in class coverage between the two of us, the athletic and Yahoo Sports for now, on behalf of Asia Ben and Ben, I'm Zena Keda. Thanking you for your ear and encouraging you to keep watching, keep listening, keep learning and keep loving the game because that's the only way we're going to keep growing it until next time.
Ben Ntonkum
As.
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Marc Maron
Hey folks, it's Marc Maron from WTF. It's been more than 15 years now and I'm still talking to all kinds of people in my garage every week. Sometimes it's Bill Burr, sometimes it's Ariana Grande. She just looks at me because she's always going like, dad, it's not that big a deal. Yeah, I go, sorry, I lost my temper. I go, I still love you. You know, Daddy has issues.
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I think about it all the time.
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How are we here already?
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Podcast: No Offseason: The Athletic Women's Basketball Show
Host: Zena Keda
Guest: Asia Wilson, Las Vegas Aces Star Forward
Special Guest: Ben Ntonkum, Senior Footwear Designer at Nike Basketball
Release Date: February 4, 2025
The episode kicks off with host Zena Keda introducing Asia Wilson, a prominent figure in women's basketball, celebrated as a three-time WNBA MVP, two-time Olympic gold medalist, and a key player for the Las Vegas Aces. Off the court, Asia is making waves in the fashion and sportswear industry with her debut signature sneaker, the A'One.
Notable Quote:
Zena Keda [04:57]: "Joining us today is a true game changer in every sense on the court... and now she's adding another milestone to her legacy, dropping her first ever signature sneaker this year."
Personal Inspirations and Storytelling
Asia shares the personal stories embedded in her sneaker design, emphasizing the significance of her grandmother's pearl necklace. These elements serve as "Easter eggs" within the shoe, symbolizing her family and personal journey.
Notable Quotes:
Asia Wilson [07:08]: "There's a lot of Easter eggs throughout the shoe that represent me and my family... It's not just the signature, it's literally like a piece of me."
Zena Keda [07:47]: "At what point during the design process did you feel like, oh, this is me?"
Asia Wilson [08:14]: "When I finally saw the final piece of it... this is exactly what myself and my team have created."
Collaborative Effort with Nike's A1 Team
Asia emphasizes the collaborative nature of the design process, highlighting the synergy between her vision and Nike's design team. She notes that the creation of the A'One was a joint effort that respected her individuality without replicating other signature shoes.
Notable Quote:
Asia Wilson [09:00]: "I didn't want it to be just another Nike athlete's signature shoe. This is mine."
Versatility and Performance
Asia explains her intention for the A'One to transcend traditional basketball footwear by blending performance with lifestyle aesthetics. The shoe is designed to be both functional on the court and stylish off it, catering to a broad audience beyond just basketball players.
Notable Quotes:
Asia Wilson [11:39]: "I wanted my shoe to really change the narrative... something that could be durable, sustainable for any athlete."
Asia Wilson [13:00]: "I wanted it to be the best of both worlds. Comfortable, looks good, and you can move in it."
Unique Design Elements
The A'One features a distinct pearl motif and incorporates elements inspired by Asia's tattoos, symbolizing her heritage and personal identity. These design choices make the sneaker stand out in a crowded market.
Notable Quote:
Asia Wilson [14:08]: "When you see this shoe, you're thinking of me, boldness, vibrant colors... it's the best of a lot of worlds."
Design Philosophy and Inspiration
Ben Ntonkum delves into the creative process behind the A'One, explaining how personal stories and performance requirements intertwine to create a unique product. He highlights the importance of blending Asia's personal narrative with technical excellence to produce a sneaker that is both meaningful and high-performing.
Notable Quotes:
Ben Ntonkum [17:51]: "In this case, we did some digging on our own... the journey of basketball started with her being gifted that pearl necklace from her grandmother."
Ben Ntonkum [19:38]: "I really want this to be uniquely hers. Otherwise, you start designing the same shoe over and over."
Integrating Personal Stories into Design
Ben shares an anecdote about incorporating Asia's tattoos into the shoe design, a spontaneous and heartfelt decision that added deeper meaning to the sneaker. This moment exemplifies the collaborative and adaptive nature of the design process.
Notable Quote:
Ben Ntonkum [24:48]: "She rolled her sleeve up and unveiled these tattoos... we placed it on the shoe and when she saw it, tears came down."
Technical Innovations
The A'One boasts advanced cushioning technology inspired by Asia's preference for underfoot sensation and proximity. Ben explains how they leveraged existing technologies while infusing the shoe with personalized features to enhance both comfort and performance.
Notable Quote:
Ben Ntonkum [22:19]: "We took the idea of having this foam being closer to the foot and combined it with color-shifting elements to highlight the technology."
Changing the Narrative for Big Players
Asia aims to redefine the perception of basketball shoes for larger players, ensuring that the A'One appeals to a diverse range of athletes beyond guards. This inclusive approach is intended to make the shoe a staple across various sports and demographics.
Notable Quotes:
Asia Wilson [12:46]: "I wanted my shoe to pop off the page... to be the best of both worlds."
Ben Ntonkum [29:19]: "If the shoe is fire for her, it will be fire for everybody else."
Future Editions and Evolution
Both Asia and Ben discuss plans for future iterations of the A'One, emphasizing the commitment to evolving the design while maintaining the core elements that make the sneaker unique. This forward-thinking approach ensures the A'One remains relevant and desirable in the competitive footwear market.
Notable Quote:
Ben Ntonkum [27:54]: "We've already started on the next version... this is part of the journey."
The episode concludes with Zena expressing excitement for the A'One's release and its potential impact on both the court and the fashion world. She encourages listeners to stay tuned for the sneaker's launch and praises the collaborative efforts that brought the A'One to life.
Notable Quotes:
Zena Keda [31:21]: "Expect this out later on this year... the pink is going to pop on the court for sure."
Zena Keda [33:01]: "Thank you so much to Asia Wilson and Ben Ntonkum for joining the show and giving us the little background insight into the new A'One."
Personal Story Integration: Asia Wilson's A'One sneaker embodies her personal history and family heritage, making it more than just a piece of athletic equipment.
Collaborative Design Process: The creation of the A'One was a joint effort between Asia and Nike's design team, ensuring the sneaker reflects her unique style and performance needs.
Market Impact: The A'One aims to change the narrative for basketball shoes, making them more inclusive and versatile for a wider range of athletes.
Future Developments: Plans are in place for evolving the A'One line, with future iterations set to build on the foundation established by the initial release.
For fans eager to get their hands on the A'One, the sneaker is set to release later in 2025. Stay tuned to No Offseason and follow The Athletic for more updates and exclusive insights into the world of women's basketball.