A'ja Wilson Shares Why Jersey Retirement Fit for Bam Adebayo Relationship Hard Launch
One of the worst-kept secrets within the basketball community was the relationship that superstars A'ja Wilson and Bam Adebayo have with each other.
There have been countless instances where these two were dropping crumbs regarding their relationship. Whether it was social media posts or public sightings, all fans were waiting for was one of them to publicly acknowledge what was between them.
And that's exactly what Wilson did during her February 2 jersey retirement ceremony at the South Carolina Gamecocks game, when she said, "I wouldn't be who I am today without the love, support, and sacrifices of so many people. And what a blessing to have those most special to me courtside today; especially my favorite Olympian in town."
The A’ja and Bam hard launch 🥹🥹 pic.twitter.com/TxbprZ2GV3
— Drea Blackwell (@KSBWDrea) February 2, 2025
In a February 4 article from Elle Magazine's Adrienne Gaffney, Wilson revealed why she chose this time to hard launch her relationship with Adebayo.
"The beautiful thing about our relationship, and our bond, is that we’re very aware of things. We know how to navigate through a lot of different things and never shy from moments, but also make sure that we uplift [each other]. I would’ve been doing a disservice if I did not mention my favorite Olympian. Because of that favorite Olympian, you see the best of me. Because of the care and the support that not a lot of people see all the time. If I did not recognize my special Olympian, he wouldn’t be able to get his flowers. So in that sense, I think it was just a perfect time. It was just a moment that I would love to share because people should know that I’m not alone. I have an amazing support system behind me," she said.
Wilson was then asked, "Is it nice to be with another basketball player, who must really understand what you go through every day?"
"Beyoncé says, 'It’s very seldom that you’re blessed to find your equal.' It’s hard to find people that can really truly understand you on deeper levels," she answered. "I wouldn’t say it’s easy, but I love it. I love the fact that it’s not easy, because it allows us to really be our true selves and support one another.
A’ja talked about her relationship with Bam in Elle 💗 https://t.co/2LjCVe5iPL pic.twitter.com/Y7zK30jtGX
— RunToTheSun (@RunToTheSun_) February 4, 2025
Wilson is clearly loving where her relationship stands with this NBA superstar.
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Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.