Caitlin Clark Just Did Something That No Athlete Has Done Since Michael Jordan In The 1980s

Caitlin Clark (Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)
Caitlin Clark is not even through five games of her first year in the WNBA, yet she continues to rack up the cash.

Caitlin Clark has held a basketball since she was a young child. Thus, her most recent endorsement agreement—with athletic equipment company Wilson—seems like a perfect fit.

The WNBA’s official basketball maker and Clark, the No. 1 overall draft choice chosen by the Indiana Fever, have signed a multiyear sponsorship deal. Clark joins Michael Jordan as the only other player to represent Wilson as a brand ambassador in the 1980s.

In a news release announcing the partnership, Clark recalled playing with a Wilson ball in her driveway as a child.

“I loved that thing more than anything. My brothers and I would always fight over it,” she said.

Later this year, Clark will also launch a trademark basketball collection. Today, one item will be made available: a Wilson basketball from the WNBA that has significant moments from Clark’s career etched on it. According to Boardroom, only Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls and the WNBA’s No. 1 draft pick have released a Wilson collection.

Wilson will additionally assist the Caitlin Clark Foundation, which uses athletics, education, and good nutrition to improve communities. Financial terms of the partnership were not disclosed.

Wilson joined forces with the WNBA, NBA, NBA G League, NBA 2K League, and Basketball Africa League in 2020 to become the leagues’ official game ball. The WNBA’s current ball debuted in the 2022 season.

Caitlin Clark Signs Mega Endorsement Deal With Nike After Draft Selection

Caitlin Clark (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
After finishing her collegiate career at the University of Iowa, Caitlin Clark was selected first in the WNBA draft by the Fever.

She reportedly signed a new endorsement deal with Nike.

According to a report from The Athletic, Clark is expected to sign a $28 million contract with Nike, and that deal will include her own signature shoe.

During her tenure at Iowa, Clark had a name, image, and likeness arrangement with Nike. That specific contract, which she had signed in 2022, ended at the conclusion of the 2023–2024 season. This new agreement would be the highest-paying endorsement contract ever signed by a female basketball player in history.