"The hazing of a rookie" - WNBA fans in splits as A'ja Wilson outfits Iowa's Kate Martin in South Carolina gear

A'ja Wilson returned 'home' and she's made it in a big way. The 26-year-old star is leading her Las Vegas Aces against the Puerto Rico national team to close out the 2024 WNBA preseason.

A little over a month ago, Wilson's college team, the South Carolina Gamecocks, beat the Caitlin Clark-led Iowa Hawkeyes to win the NCAA national championship. The two-time WNBA MVP didn't miss her chance and made Kate Martin, a member of the 2024 Iowa team, wear South Carolina gear.

Sports photographer Bri Lewerke shared the video that shows Martin having a hard time wearing the outfit. Many fans reacted to this, with some noting it was a proper way to haze a rookie.

"Now that’s hazing! Poor girl!" one fan said.

A group of fans noted that Martin wasn't having a good time while someone else said it was 'too soon' to troll her with that painful loss in her last NCAA game ever.

"her cheeks🤣🤣 she’s so embarrassed sweet baby," one fan wrote.

"Kate hates every second of that," another fan noted.

"Waaaaay too soon," somebody wrote.

As embarrassing and painful as that might have been for Martin, who was selected with the No. 18 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, there's nothing she could do to stop it. She's playing in A'ja Wilson and Gamecocks territory at the end of the day.

A'ja Wilson announces she's gotten a shoe deal

Besides making an Iowa player wear the colors of South Carolina, A'ja Wilson fans received big news. The five-time WNBA All-Star secured a shoe deal with Nike.

Wilson took to X/Twitter and shared a five-word message to put to rest all the speculation about her situation with Nike.

"The answer to the question," she wrote.

Nike also found a big way to respond to people doubting they would get a shoe deal to arguably the face of the WNBA, as noted by Evon Bell.

“You thought we’d sleep on an SEC champion, national champion, #1 draft pick, five-time All-Star, US Olympic gold winner, WNBA Finals MVP, a statue-having, New York Times Best Seller, TIME 100 Most Influential People in 2024, two-time WNBA champion, two-time Defensive Player of the Year, two-time WNBA MVP, and Pettist hooper on the internet? You thought.

“Of course, A’ja’s got a shoe. A’One Arriving 2025.”

A'ja Wilson is having a great time off the court right now, but it's time to translate that success to the game, again. The Aces have a target on their backs after winning the last two WNBA championships, but Wilson isn't ready to lose her dominance. Several teams got better this offseason, but so did the Aces, adding interesting pieces in the offseason, Martin included.

Time will tell how this season plays out, but right now, Las Vegas remains a clear candidate to take the WNBA title for the third consecutive season.