YouTuber insinuates $114.5 billion brand suffering due to controversial decisions around Caitlin Clark

Caitlin Clark is bringing more eyes to the WNBA than any other player in the league's history. The Indiana Fever phenom broke records on and off the court in her first season as a pro and is one of the most popular figures in sports entering her second year.

Clark's marketability is unprecedented in the WNBA and brands are lining up to partner with her. Her shoe deal with Nike, a $114.52 billion brand as per Forbes was no different.

Upon being selected with the No. 1 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, Clark had her pick at a shoe brand to kick off her professional career. It was no surprise that Caitlin Clark signed with Nike, landing an eight-year, $28 million deal.

Despite the hugely popular move, a YouTuber and channel, The Assist Network has insinuated that Nike has yet to make Clark a focal point and claimed that its lack of prioritization where Clark is concerned has cost the company. The channel insinuates that a huge fraction of the $27 billion collapse in market value, after a lackluster sales quarter, comes at the heels of the brand's refusal to prioritize Clark.

While the claims may feel like a reach, it is no doubt that Nike's failure to launch even a single piece of merchandise around a phenomenon like Caitlin is a huge reason for the brand's downfall.

Paige Bueckers' signature Nike shoe brings prioritization of Caitlin Clark into question

Earlier this month, Nike announced the release of the Paige Bueckers x Nike GT Hustle 3 collaboration, making the UConn Huskies superstar the first college player with a signature Nike shoe. The release of Bueckers' shoe caused an uproar among fans, as many faulted Nike's lack of awareness for Clark's potential brand value.

There's no doubt Bueckers deserves her own shoe. The UConn guard is widely projected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, and her stardom is well on its way. However, she is not Caitlin Clark, a player who has brought about rules changes in the league on her debut season.

Caitlin Clark helped the WNBA set television ratings and attendance records off the court as the driving force of the biggest swing in popularity in the league's history. The WNBA has never been bigger and no player can be credited for the shift more than Clark.

There can be certainly no doubt that a huge chunk of Nike's $27 billion hit could be the least of their worries if the concerns surrounding Clark's brand aren't addressed with haste. Indiana's superstar has the largest fanbase of any player in the league and Clark's fans are voicing their frustrations. As the most popular player in the WNBA, a signature sneaker is likely in Clark's immediate future following Nike's plummet in market value.