Atlanta Dream goalkeeper Aerial Powers performs on the pitch and virtually — Andscape

Memorial Day weekend was no ordinary holiday meal for Atlanta Dreams goalkeeper Aerial Powers and her father Juan. As Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals began, the Powers family looked at the feet of Boston Celtics guard Jayson Tatum as he wore his Jordan Tatum 2 “Camo Player Edition.”

Powers designed the colorway with Jordan as a tribute to his father, a sergeant in the Marine Corps.

“It’s a moment I’ll never forget,” Powers said. “Jayson Tatum is one of my favorite basketball players. It really meant a lot to me that he wore these shoes in one of the biggest games of his life, not because it’s Tatum, but because these shoes are a thank you to my dad and all the veterans . »

The 2016 All-Rookie Team member credits her father for his work ethic and attack strategy to overcome adversity.

“Having Tatum wear those shoes meant a lot to me and my family and it gave me a sense of inspiration to keep going even with a grudge against me, especially after everything I went through last year not playing as much,” Power said.

Before being traded to the Atlanta Dream in February, Powers played for the Minnesota Lynx for three seasons. She was a starter for the team, but as the 2023 season progressed, she occasionally played five minutes. Powers is now a starting guard for the Dream, averaging 8.3 points and three rebounds per game.

Even though her minutes fluctuate, Powers is still eager to create outfits around her favorite Jordan 1 colorways for drop-in photos. When Powers saw Tatum in her PE, it inspired Powers, who won a WNBA championship in 2019 with the Washington Mystics, to continue her quest for a second championship. As Powers watched Game 5, she continued to text and call her dad.

“Seeing one of the best players in my shoe reminded me and my dad how hard we worked to get to this point and for me to continue to see success in this league,” Powers said.

The inspiration for the Tatum 2 “Camo” was closely tied to various aspects of Powers’ life since middle school, starting with his introduction to video games. Growing up, Powers didn’t get along with his younger brother Juan Jr. One day, over the course of a few weeks, Powers noticed his brother playing video games and talking into a headset.

“Who are you talking to about this thing?” » asked Powers.

His brother explained that he was playing Call of Duty online with strangers.

“Come on, man, show me, show me!” Powers said.

Juan Jr. showed Powers how to play and she said she immediately fell in love.

“My dad finally came over and said, ‘You guys are too quiet in here,’” Powers said. “He was surprised at how well we got along. My dad’s a Marine at heart, so he naturally loves Call of Duty, too. The next day, he came home with two more Xboxes and two new headsets. We were in this little house and my mom was going crazy with all the noise. We were screaming into our headsets but we were sitting next to each other. It’s been a part of my life ever since.”

Powers turned her love of the game into player advocacy. She started out representing esports organization Team Liquid leading its diversity and inclusion efforts and is now a co-owner. She is also a brand ambassador for HyperX and is very involved in the Global Esports Federation.

During the coronavirus pandemic, she grew closer to her future teammate, Dream guard Allisha Gray, when they played Call of Duty and NBA 2K together.

“During the pandemic, we started playing at 10 p.m. and didn’t finish until 3 a.m.,” Powers said. “I would get up, go to practice and then come back on the field for about three hours. »

Powers also uses avatars in his games to express his fashion and sneaker creativity. The creation of her My Player reminds her that there is still much to do to advance women’s equality.

“You can buy WNBA jerseys and t-shirts in-game for your player and put whatever sneakers you want on them,” Powers said. “But I think it can go even further by helping girls get involved by hosting charity events, tournaments and STEM programs to encourage them to focus on gaming.”