WNBA podcaster makes case for Caitlin Clark to end 'rocky and bumpy' relationship with $115 billion brand 

Since she made her WNBA debut on May 14, Caitlin Clark has become a youth sensation. She has driven lots of attention to the WNBA and inspired the youth to follow their dreams of becoming professional basketball players. Clark is one of the biggest reasons for the meteoric rise of the league's popularity.

The Indiana Fever star is signed by sportswear giant Nike for eight years in a deal that would yield her $28 million. However, "Money Mike's Syndicated Podcast," a WNBA podcaster, shared his opinion on the deal. He argued that Clark would be better off with a smaller sportswear brand like Puma or Adidas.

"Sometimes when you get in corporate enterprise business, you understand one thing," Mike said (12:00). "You understand it very well that sometimes there's clients who are not suited for the platform and architecture that you have designed at Nike.

"They are better suited off with a smaller brand so they can get the attention that they need because it looks like Caitlin and wants commercials. Caitlin wants more, Caitlin wants to shoe, Caitlin wants all these things designed immediately well that's what one of the smaller brands can do like Adidas."

As per Forbes, Nike has a brand value of $115 Billion and Mike argued that it wasn't giving the Indiana Fever star the attention and effort she deserves. He added that Nike is an international brand and Clark would have to climb her way in the pecking order as it already has bigger stars on its roster.

He then compared Clark to other Nike ambassadors like Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan to point out that she has not yet reached her full potential as a celebrity. He argued that Jordan and Woods had made a brand for themselves over the years but Clark has not done so yet.

Paige Bueckers gets a Nike signature shoe before Caitlin Clark

All the talk about Nike not treating Caitlin Clark right started after the sportswear giant announced a custom pair of Nike GT Hustle 3 sneakers, a signature shoe for the UConn Huskies star Paige Bueckers ahead of the Indiana Fever sensation.

The reaction of Clark's fans was not positive on social media. Bueckers signed with Nike in 2023 before Clark which could be the reason why Bueckers will have her signature sneakers first. However, given that Clark has already gone pro and had an excellent rookie season where she won the Rookie of the Year award, it also makes her a worthy candidate to receive her signature shoe soon.

The announcement for Bueckers' shoe made the Huskies star the first college player with a signature sneaker. The Nike GT Hustle 3 is set to release on Dec. 7 with a retail price of $190.