rewrite this content and keep HTML tags
A’ja Wilson already has two WNBA championships to her name, but you didn’t expect her to be satisfied now, did you?
On Saturday, Boardroom, Chase and Wilson hosted an intimate invite-only dinner at SiX Tampa to celebrate the NCAA Women’s Final Four weekend in Tampa, which was packed with a number of noteworthy names that included: ESPN journalists Monica McNutt, Andraya Carter, Arielle Chambers, Ros Gold-Onwude and more, alongside other elite names that consisted of sports executives Kate Schoff (Managing Director, Sports & Entertainment Marketing Strategy, JPMorganChase), Terri Jackson (Executive Director, WNBPA and Jessica Robertson (Co-Founder, Togethxr) and others.
Not only were guests treated to delicious cocktails, premium bites and a free copy of Wilson’s best-selling book, “Dear Black Girls,” they also got the opportunity to see a lively fireside chat between Wilson and Indiana Fever star Sydney Colson, where the two talked offered candid insights on the growth of women’s college basketball, and a look ahead at the WNBA season.
Below are some highlights from the conversation.
MORE: Vanessa Bryant drops preview of upcoming Nike Kobe shoe releases, and they’re all quite sick
Boardroom
A’ja Wilson on NIL and growth of college helping the WNBA grow:
[College players are] doing a great job in what they do, and I think that also kind of helped a lot for us in the W – [brands will now] continue to invest in them as they become pros. It doesn’t drop off. Continue to do that, because we’re gonna show up. The product is always there – we are amazing at what we do.”
MORE: Gabby Thomas wins an insane amount of money and whips out the dance moves after winning Kingston Grand Slam
A’ja Wilson on her new partnership with Chase:
“I’m so grateful to be with Chase, and I got to announce it and post it on my Instagram [today]. WNBA women’s basketball is such a hot topic. But sometimes I feel like brands may just be like, okay, let’s just do this because it’s hot right now. I feel like brands like Chase and other brands – and I’m blessed to be partnered with them – know that it’s for the long term, the longevity of it. That’s how we continue to grow the game. We can’t just stop because it’s cool or just want to be a part of it because it’s cool. No, invest in these women and watch them grow.”
MORE: Molly Qerim reps UConn Huskies on ‘First Take’ after their huge NCAA title win
A’ja Wilson on her player legacy:
“I would always say the Hall of Famers, the legends of our game, they laid the foundation down for us to be able to reap from the benefits and the seeds that they planted. Now it’s on us to plant those seeds for the next generation to grow.”
A’ja Wilson on approaching the upcoming WNBA season:
“I still feel like I have a chip on my shoulder, I still feel like I have a lot to prove. The ‘good’ is cool, but I wanna be great. I wanna be legendary.”
