Why Aces’ A’ja Wilson is only wearing white T-shirts before games

A’ja Wilson is consistent with her pregame routine at Aces home games before Michelob Ultra Arena is filled. The soundtrack, however, is almost never the same.

On Friday, the Aces superstar bobbed her head to “White Tee” by rap group Dem Franchize Boyz as early fans watched her breeze through warmups ahead of a win over the Atlanta Dream.

The lyrics, “I wear a white tee, you wear a white tee. The next day, catch me with a brand new white tee,” blasted through the speakers.

It was an ode to Wilson’s recent choice to arrive at all but one of the Aces’ last six games in baggy white T-shirts before walking to the locker room and suiting up amid the team’s struggles.

Normally, Wilson uses “tunnel walks” before games as her own personal runway, expressing her style in a manner that has become expected for stars across the WNBA, NBA and NFL. The stark pivot from high-fashion skirt sets to loungewear has left many wondering why Wilson isn’t getting dressed up anymore.

After the Aces (19-12) notched their second win in five games and clinched a playoff berth Friday, Wilson explained her sartorial process.

“I have to want to put on clothes. Right now, where I am, I don’t feel like I deserve to put on clothes. … Right now my main focus is just getting wins,” she said. “So if we start getting a couple wins under our belt, I might pop out and show a little something. Right now, I am digging in the bottom of my T-shirt drawer, and I’m putting on a shirt and I’m getting out.”

Wilson joined WNBA legend Candace Parker as the only players to record at least 25 points, 15 rebounds, five assists and five blocks in a regular-season game on Friday.

Wilson said the process of getting dressed adds stress to her life, even though her “lovely” stylist, Amadi Brooks, makes it easier. Brooks has been begging Wilson to put on other clothes, while Wilson’s mom, Eva Wilson, complains about the shirts not being ironed, Wilson said.

‘It’s not easy’

Wilson, who leads the league in points (27.0) and blocks (2.7) per game and is second in rebounds (11.8), is averaging 29.2 points, 12.0 rebounds and 2.4 blocks over her five “White Tee games.”

The trend started after the Aces lost to the Liberty in their first game back from the Olympic break Aug. 17. The next day, Wilson arrived at Michelob Ultra Arena in a huge white T-shirt and sweatpants for the Aces’ win against the Sparks.

Mystics rookie Aaliyah Edwards responded to Wilson’s post-win social media post by saying she was “sprinting” to buy her own pack of white T-shirts. A week later, Edwards replicated Wilson’s new uniform before a win over the Storm.

Wilson dabbled back into a fashion forward outfit when the Aces hosted the Lynx on Aug. 21, wearing bedazzled jeans and a white sleeveless bodysuit. But the Aces would lose to Minnesota at home, leading Wilson to return to a white T-shirt and beige sweats when the Aces lost to the Lynx again two days later.

She paired the white shirt with black sweats and fuzzy Balenciaga slippers before the Aces pulled out a close win over the Sky on Aug. 25. She essentially repeated the outfit but with gray sweats when the Aces lost to the Wings on Tuesday.

The white T-shirt was back before Friday’s win over the Dream, but Wilson spruced it up a little by adding gray biker shorts and sneakers.

Aces coach Becky Hammon said Friday that Wilson, a two-time MVP, is doing everything in her power to lift the Aces.

“Everything that I’ve ever asked her to do, she just goes and does it and makes it look so easy. It is not easy,” Hammon said. “And that’s when you know you have a special player, Steph Curry, shooting 3s. He makes it look easy. That stuff is difficult that he’s doing. And I think (Wilson) is a similar, just special, generational talent.”

Contact Callie Lawson-Freeman at clawsonfreeman@reviewjournal.com. Follow @CallieJLaw on X.