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A’ja Wilson, Bam Adebayo Rebuke Rachel Nichols’ On-Air Joke About Their Future Family

The viral exchange sharpened scrutiny of how media handle athletes’ private lives.

Overview

  • Rachel Nichols referenced a fan meme during her Open Run interview with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander at the NBA Cup semifinals in Las Vegas, joking that Sam Presti would come calling if A’ja Wilson and Bam Adebayo had children.
  • A’ja Wilson called the on-air remark “a lil strange orrrr weird” and added “slow day in the office,” while Bam Adebayo wrote, “This is why privacy matters.”
  • The meme grew from Wilson’s recent Time Athlete of the Year profile, where she described starting a family as a dream, and from Presti’s reputation for long-range scouting.
  • The clip spread quickly online and drew widespread criticism of the question from fans and commentators, though some defended it as harmless humor.
  • Nichols had not publicly responded as of Monday, and coverage placed the moment within broader debates about media boundaries and responsibility.