Malia Obama Turns The Camera On A’ja Wilson And Every Black Girl Watching In New Nike Ad
When Black storytellers are behind the lens, the view looks different - the perspective expands and the story deepens. Professionally known as Malia Ann, Malia Obama, eldest daughter of former President Barack Obama, is receiving widespread praise for her direction of a new Nike ad promoting WNBA star A’ja Wilson’s signature shoe, The A’One.
In a viral clip called Teaching the Pro, directed by Obama, a young girl teaches Wilson how to play a hand-clapping game to a reimagined version of the classic rhyme Miss Mary Mack. Sitting side by side on a porch, the girl sings: A’ja Wilson’s on top, top, top / Can’t take her spot, spot, spot / She’s a real one through, through, through / Always does what she’ll do, do, do. As Wilson struggles to keep the timing, the girl eventually stands up to demonstrate to her “how a professional does it.” Once A’ja 100% gets it, the two fall into rhythm, with the chants of other girls getting louder in the background, transforming the moment into something greater than just an ad. The scene itself feels like an invitation to witness A’ja and this young girl connect through a moment that many could remember as an essential part of their childhood.
Another ad, also set to the same reimagined version of Miss Mary Mack, was directed by Nigerian-British director Jenn NKiru. Her video, ONE OF A’KIND, pays tribute to every young girl who has ever played a hand-clapping game to different rhymes, wore beaded braids or jumped Double Dutch – it is as much a cultural celebration as it is a brand narrative. It opens with young girls - one wearing beaded braids that spell “A’ja” - playing a hand-clapping game to a rhyme that celebrates Wilson and her accomplishments. The ad features many cultural moments that helped shape Wilson, including a lighthearted scene in her family’s church in Columbia, South Carolina, as well as cameos from her parents and her former college coach, Dawn Staley. As the video unfolds, the chant continues: They said she wasn’t enough, ’nuff, ’nuff / So she did it for us, us, us / And if you talk smack, smack, smack/ She’s gonna clap back, back, back. In an Instagram post, Nkiru wrote: “This One’s for black girlhood.”
While these shared traditions are sometimes overlooked, both ads revere them, framing them as something almost sacred. These moments were the backdrops of Black childhood, especially girlhood. The rhymes were our soundtracks and beaded braids among some of the earliest forms of self-expression that many of us can perhaps remember.
In her book, Dear Black Girls: How to Be True to You, Wilson reflects that “there will always be those little moments when you’re reminded about the way people see Black women in our society. And I can’t lie to you. It will take your breath away every time.” This is what makes these ads necessary. They pay homage to Black girlhood with intentionality and care. They are affirming. As both Obama and Nkiru turn the camera on every Black girl, they not only underscore the importance of representation but recognition.
The Nike A’One shoe, two years in the making, is Wilson’s first signature shoe and was created to elevate her performance. The shoe is meant to not just go the distance, but also give aspiring hoopers, especially girls, encouragement to believe that they can follow in Wilson’s footsteps. The reception has been nothing short of overwhelming, with these shoes selling out within five minutes of their May 6 release.