USC lands landmark Nike deal as A’ja Wilson’s legacy deepens with new signature line and USC-branded gear
A’ja Wilson is not the only story growing for the Las Vegas Aces star this season. The University of South Carolina and Nike have announced a groundbreaking partnership that will outfit all 21 USC athletic programs starting in 2025, with official merchandise rolling out in July 2026. The deal marks a major expansion of Nike’s college footprint and tees up a new era of branding around one of the program’s most electrifying alumni.
Under the agreement, Nike will provide USC with Nike-branded equipment and uniforms, and the university will unveil multiple USC-branded products over the life of the partnership. USC Athletics Director Jeremiah Donati said the collaboration reflects a shared commitment to excellence, innovation, and athletic participation, with the new gear slated to be available for the 2025-26 school year and merchandise to debut in mid-2026.
A centerpiece of the partnership is Wilson’s own Nike signature sneakers. The Gamecocks legend will don the A’Two—a USC-specific iteration designed for players to wear during games—as part of the coalition. The line will feature exclusive USC colorways crafted for USC’s women’s basketball program, highlighting Wilson’s enduring connection to her alma mater. Nike is also exploring additional Wilson-branded travel and team gear for USC throughout the agreement.
Wilson’s USC legacy runs as deep as her on-court accolades. She led South Carolina to its first national championship in 2017, claimed the Naismith Player of the Year award in 2018, and remains the school’s all-time leading scorer. Her No. 22 jersey is retired, and a statue bearing her impact stands outside the Colonial Life Arena, symbols of a lasting imprint on the program.
The deal also fuels speculation about a potential collaboration that would connect Wilson with her former coach, Dawn Staley. Staley helped pioneer women’s basketball branding with Nike, dating back to her own Zoom S5 model introduced in 1999. In recent years, a barrier to collaboration has been South Carolina’s Under Armour contract, which limited her ability to engage with Nike. The new Nike deal removes those constraints and opens the door for renewed connection between Staley and the brand.
With Wilson carrying a Nike signature line and now associated with USC’s broader partnership, industry observers have floated the idea of a “Women’s Signature Pack.” That could pair Wilson’s A’One (her prior signature model) with a re-release of Staley’s Zoom S5, creating a cohesive historical-and-future branding narrative. No formal confirmation has been issued, but the possibility highlights Nike’s interest in leveraging both a current star and a coaching icon to amplify college partnerships.
This development comes as Wilson continues to lead Las Vegas this season, averaging strong stat lines and keeping the Aces at title contention. The USC-Nike deal is poised to create a unique pipeline between college branding, NIL-era athlete identity, and professional-level product design, signaling a broader strategy for Nike to deepen ties across college programs and their standout alumni.
Summary: Nike is expanding its college footprint with USC, outfitting 21 programs and launching USC-specific products in 2026, including A’Two sneakers for Wilson and exclusive USC colorways for the women’s basketball team. The partnership also opens doors for potential collaborations linking Wilson with Dawn Staley’s historic Nike era, tapping into both legacy and future star power. The arrangement promises a brighter branding and merchandising ecosystem for USC and a continued ascent for Wilson as a global basketball icon.
Additional value and commentary:
– The move could influence recruiting and NIL opportunities at USC, as branding and gear become part of the program’s appeal to top talent.
– Nike’s strategy here appears to blend legacy (Staley, Wilson) with a current championship-caliber program, reinforcing Nike’s dominance in college athletics gear.
– Fans can look forward to signature product drops and USC-branded equipment that merge Wilson’s branding with the school’s rich basketball heritage, potentially expanding merchandise revenue streams for USC.
If you’d like, I can add a quick side-by-side comparison of expected product drops, launch timelines, and which USC programs will receive Nike gear first, to help readers plan their purchases.