Nike

Telling the story of a rising superstar with documentary directness

As a collegiate player, A’ja Wilson led the University of South Carolina’s women’s basketball team to it’s first ever NCAA title in 2017. Turning pro, she became a first-round pick, and Nike tapped her to lead their FeNom campaign soon after. In 2018 she was named the WNBA rookie of the year.

Traditional media outlets simply don’t valorize WNBA stars the way they do with NBA athletes. Nike approached GDP about crafting a video that would tell the human story of this phenomenal athlete, and celebrate her singular skill and enormous drive.

GDP worked with the award-winning film director Nina Meredith, who is equally adept at narrative and documentary projects. Shooting took place in Wilson’s hometown in South Carolina, on the court where she played high school ball. We enlisted her parents, who were eager to tell us about her development as a player and a person. The result is a stirring story, and a fitting tribute to one of the most talented and promising young athletes in the world.