Caitlin Clark, the Indiana Fever rookie, recently signed a multi-million deal with Nike. According to The Wall Street Journal, Clark signed an eight-year deal with Nike worth up to $28 million. Per the deal, the sportswear giant is set to pay the rookie star $3.5 million annually.
What is interesting is the difference between her deal with her WNBA team and Nike. While she would make $3.5 million per year with Nike, her four-year deal with Fever is worth $338,056.
Earlier, when Clark was still in her sophomore year, she had signed a deal with Nike in 2022 through her NIL deal. During her college years, she donned Kobe Bryant’s sneakers during her game. For the NCAA championship game this year, she rocked "Bruce Lee" Kobe 5.
Can Caitlin Clark get her signature shoe with Nike?
There is an unequivocal agreement in the basketball world that Caitlin Clark is the biggest name in women’s basketball. Nike was so impressed with Clark that they signed her in the NIL deal when he was in her sophomore year in college. Now that Nike has signed her up for a multiyear deal, there are questions about whether she will get a signature shoe from the brand.
The chance of Clark getting her signature shoe is not an impossible scenario. Currently, only three WNBA players have signature shoe deals: Sabrina Ionescu, Breanna Stewart and Elena Delle Donne, who is taking a break from basketball this year.
Stewart has her signature shoe with Puma. Ionescu and Donne are with Nike.
The Athletic's Shams Charania recently reported that Clark would receive her signature shoe with Nike.
Per The Athletic, Clark was also offered deals by Adidas and Under Armour, but she ended up signing a lucrative contract with Nike. What Clark and other players have done for women’s basketball is yet to be fairly paid, and perhaps it is the right time to give them their flowers.