'Once I saw A'ja do it, I did it': How Wilson's leg sleeve inspired a new generation

A'ja Wilson had a problem.

She was a three-time All-American at South Carolina. A 2017 national champion. The national player of the year and No. 1 draft pick in 2018. But ahead of her WNBA debut, something wasn't quite right.

Her legs felt imbalanced whenever she prepared for games. The 6-foot-4 forward always seemed to need more time to get her left leg ready compared to her right. That's how she came up with the idea of the single-leg sleeve.

"It came to life my rookie year when my poor little college body was just transitioning over to being a professional," Wilson said ahead of her Nike signature line's launch. "My left leg just [needed] to be a little bit warmer and ready for action. But I don't want to wear the full tight ... so I decided to cut the other leg off."

The style has captivated the next generation of hoopers while transcending the women's game and basketball as a whole. From Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the 2025 NBA Finals to U.S. women's national soccer team forward Lynn Williams in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, the one-leg tight has taken hold across the sports world.

"She's one of the first people I remember wearing a one-leg sleeve and making it their signature look," Minnesota Lynx forward Alanna Smith told ESPN. "And I think that's been a big influence on a lot of other sports."

And while Wilson didn't invent the trend -- that credit goes to U.S. track and field superstar Florence Griffith Joyner in the 1980s -- Wilson is arguably responsible for popularizing it among today's athletes.

"Once I saw A'ja do it, I did it," said Chicago Sky center Kamilla Cardoso, another former South Carolina star.

Adhel Tac, a rising sophomore at South Carolina, can't imagine playing without the one-leg tight. If it was associated with the greatest player in her school's history, she figured it could become a part of her identity, too.

"I feel weird doing stuff without it," Tac said. "And even at practice, there have been some times where I've practiced without it and my teammates look at me crazy and they're like, 'Oh, what happened to your leg sleeve? Where did it go?'"

Emulating Wilson's signature look has had an empowering effect on those who have followed in her footsteps in Columbia, South Carolina, especially, where they are greeted by her statue every time they walk into Colonial Life Arena.

"I feel like it's inspiring for younger kids and people in college or high school that if I have a one-leg sleeve, I may play like A'ja and everything," South Carolina forward Maryam Dauda said. "You look forward to playing like her in a certain way when you step on the court."

But the full extent of that influence wasn't realized until May, when Nike dropped Wilson's long-awaited collection -- anchored by the A'One sneaker that reportedly sold out within minutes of its online release -- featuring the A'Symmetric tight. Designing her own line was the embodiment of the work that has made her a collegiate, WNBA and Olympic champion, but the one-leg sleeve is ultimately connected to Wilson's impact on women's basketball, she told ESPN.

"I wanted to be super intentional with A'One and every piece in the apparel line," Wilson said. "Each piece -- from the A'One sneaker to the single-leg legging to the hoodie -- is an authentic part of me and tells part of my story. I've worn single-leg leggings for years, and once I saw other people wearing them, I saw the need, so I wanted to design something that worked, not something you had to cut yourself or hope wouldn't roll up midgame."

The reaction has been proof that she is far more than just an elite basketball player.

"I want to leave my mark on this game," Wilson said. "Not just how I play, but how I show up. So, to have an impact not only on the court but on the culture and style of the sport too -- that will be part of my legacy."

When former WNBA player Jannon Lampley checks on her daughter Lola before bed, she finds the No. 20 recruit of the 2026 class watching highlights.

"Every night, I would go in her room," Lampley said. "Her television was on YouTube watching A'ja Wilson."

Long before she coached her daughter and Lawrence Central High School to the 2024 Indiana state title, Lampley (née Roland) helped Purdue reach the Final Four in 1994 and earned All-Big Ten first-team honors in 1997. According to her, Wilson is a combination of the greatest players she has ever competed against: She can dribble, pass, defend and score at all levels. That prowess has made her a hero among young basketball players -- something Lampley witnesses at prep tournaments around the country.

"My youngest son, he plays with the one-leg sleeve," she said. "That's how far it goes. I see boys do it all the time now."

But there is another layer to Wilson's one-leg tight. At 6-1, Lampley never felt like tall women were viewed as graceful and stylish when she played basketball. The single-leg sleeve, she said, and the way Wilson wears it, have changed that.

"You usually don't see the tall players being confident, and she's embraced her femininity," Lampley said. "She brings the fashion aspect to it. She exudes confidence, elegance."

"You want to model your game after A'ja and look like her, but also in this day and age, we like to look good on the court," Tac added. "Look good, feel good, play good. And maybe it's our hair, makeup, nails, lashes, whatever the case may be. But I feel like, at least for me, as well, wearing the leg sleeve, it's just a part of the uniform now."

In 2025, Wilson already has it all. She has won every available ring at every level. And she has a lucrative deal with Nike, which recently signed her to a lengthy extension. If she decided to retire today, she would be an automatic Hall of Famer and a contender for the greatest of all time title.

But the one-leg sleeve will remain a trend long after her career ends. Because it represents A'ja Wilson and makes players who wear it feel like maybe one day, they can be just like her.

"My agent sent me a photo from a girls' basketball invitational, and all the young girls on the court were wearing one-leg sleeves," Wilson said. "That moment hit different. It reminded me that how I show up matters, and you never know who's watching or feeling inspired."