A'ja Wilson

“I mean that's one of the reasons why I partnered with Mountain Dew because they don't focus on us as athletes, but us off the court, so I'm excited to show the fanbase what else I can do besides put the ball in the hoop.”

“It seems like no matter how successful you are, or how strong, or how many lives you've changed, or how many banners you've got hanging... If you're a Black woman in this country, especially in the South? It's always this vibe of, 'I'm going to tell the real boss on you.'”

“Scouting, man, it's so different up here in the W. Because in college, we'd have all of this time between games. So we'd spend so much time scouting each opponent. But then in the WNBA, it's nothing like that, because the schedule is moving too fast.”

“Growing up, my parents embedded in my head, 'Don't think you have to hold your tongue just because of what people may say or think.'”

“My stage presence is perfect. 'American Idol' should bring me on.”

“When it comes to big sponsorships... I'm like, well, you're gonna get me and I'm not changing that because that's what needs to be seen.”

“I am sick on the microphone. Whatever you want, I can sing it, Auto-Tune or no Auto-Tune.”

“Greatness takes a lot of time.”

“I don't want my greatness to sneak up on people - you know what I mean? I want them to expect it. And then I want to deliver.”

“My dad had always encouraged me to play basketball, he didn't push me too much at first - he wanted me to try out lots of hobbies and other sports and try to find my own path. I played volleyball for a while. Eventually I did end up loving basketball on my own terms.”

“When I was growing up, the hardest part for me was that when I looked around I didn't see anyone who looked like me. If my school was 10% Black, it was probably 3% Black girls. All the teachers - shout-out to them - were white. Except one. We had one Black female teacher.”

“I'm just forever grateful to have people that were, you know, so into not just basketball A'ja and helping me grow and helping me build - and become a woman that I am today.”

“During my rookie year, my parents always talked about me needing vegetables. I was like, 'I'm not a cook. I'm not a chef. I don't do that.' I was eating garbage.”

“I was never the athletic type because I don't like to sweat, and even now I'm a low-key bougie type of athlete because sweat disgusts me.”

“It's OK to have those days where you're just not feeling like yourself.”

“I needed my teammates to know I'm going to produce X amount of things every game, because that's how you win, when you can count on people.”

“As Black women, we go through so much from code switching and putting on a mask just to get in the door. It's not easy and takes sacrifice, but when you are your authentic self, you're going to be successful as a whole.”

“I'm trying to use my voice to bring people together.”

“Being taken first by Las Vegas was surreal. Then walking on stage and getting my jersey from WNBA President Lisa Borders, who happens to be a sorority sister. We both are members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. - which is the oldest African-American sorority dating back to 1908.”

“I like to take that challenge of 'Can I guard a 5? Can I guard a 1?' I try to go out there and prove it every time.”