According to a person familiar with the negotiations, Nike is close to signing an eight-figure endorsement agreement with basketball star Caitlin Clark ahead of her professional debut in May.
Caitlin Clark to get a signature shoe line with Nike
Clark, who was selected as the top selection in the WNBA draft by the Indiana Fever this month following one of the greatest college careers of all time, was sponsored by Nike under a name, image, and likeness deal during her time as a student-athlete at the University of Iowa.
Clark will likely get a signature shoe line with Nike as the world’s largest sportswear firm builds a roster of young basketball stars, with top-selling names such as LeBron James and Kevin Durant nearing retirement.
She would join Ja Morant, Zion Williamson, and Devin Booker as Nike’s 20-year-old stars with sneaker franchises.
Nike CEO John Donahoe highlighted Clark on a March conference call with investors and analysts. Clark was featured in a Nike commercial that aired the same month, shortly after breaking the NCAA scoring record.
Women’s sports are gaining traction among major athletic manufacturers as viewership grows and new stars emerge, yet few have offered women players sneaker lines.
In September, Nike collaborated with Sabrina Ionescu of the New York Liberty to release a signature shoe. Donahoe stated that Ionescu’s shoes are “deeply resonating across gender” as more NBA players wear her sneakers on the field. Puma SE also has a line with her teammate, two-time MVP Breanna Stewart.
The Athletic first reported that Clark was close to reaching an agreement with Nike.