How Did Angel Reese Receive a Signature Sneaker Before Caitlin Clark? Nike’s Delayed Process Points Fingers at WNBA Veteran

Ever since this WNBA season tipped off, the most thrilling talk of the town has been the rookie rivalry between Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, a matchup that dates back to their heated showdown in the 2023 NCAA final. While both of them had a record breaking season, the Sky forward met a not-so-desirable end when a season-ending injury dashed her hopes. Not only did it sideline her but also took her out of the Rookie of the Year race. Nevertheless, Reese can definitely edge Clark over one off-court achievement.

Given their college popularity and NIL deals, it was no surprise that signature shoe lines would soon follow both rookies. Reese was the first to make the big announcement back in May, teasing her upcoming signature line. However, reports about Clark’s Nike signature shoe plans were already circulating since she left her college. While the exact release dates for both lines are still unclear, it seems Clark’s signature line debut might be delayed compared to Reese’s—and the reason could be tied to the latest MVP winner.

Caitlin Clark’s signature shoe delay: Prioritizing A’ja Wilson’s release

As the Fever’s No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft, Caitlin Clark was poised to become the face of the league. Her immense popularity made her a valuable asset for any brand looking to tap into her growing fan base. While other brands like Under Armour and Adidas reportedly expressed interest, Clark’s longstanding relationship with Nike—dating back to her days with the Iowa Hawkeyes—led her to re-sign with the sports giant. This time, it was a massive deal, complete with the promise of her very own signature shoe.

Although the details of the Fever rookie’s deal already surfaced long back, there’s no clear timeline yet for when her signature shoe will actually hit the shelves or make its debut on the court. While many reasons could explain the delay, Nike has prioritized the release of Aces forward A’ja Wilson’s shoe first.

A recent tweet from NBA Central, citing a House of Strauss report, shed light on why Clark’s signature Nike sneaker is still on hold. The tweet read, “Industry insiders believe the reason Caitlin Clark hasn’t received a signature sneaker from Nike yet is because A’ja Wilson needs to come first, per @SherwoodStrauss.”

The post also goes on to quote, “Based on conversations with people in the know, it indeed has something to do with WNBA MVP and Nike athlete A’ja Wilson. But beyond Wilson, it’s about a culture at the company that’s more concerned with quelling noise rather than making it, as Nike once used to.” 

But the decision was nothing new for the Brand. Wilson has been with Nike since she was a rookie and is arguably their most celebrated athlete. So even if they were to sign Clark for the biggest deal, they did have their mind set on giving Wilson her line. On an episode of Locked on Women’s Basketball, reporter Peter Verry revealed the conversation that transpired between A’ja and Nike. “Just relax! Trust the process! This is going to happen,” the brand had said to a frustrated Wilson, who had questioned if she had to yet prove her worth.

So around the Caitlin Clark and Nike rumors in April, Wilson had posted, “what’s delayed is not denied.”

So now while Clark has the historic deal, Wilson has her well-deserved shoe line set to launch in 2025. This may push the Rookie of the Year’s timeline for her signature shoe to around 2026-27, but the other star rookie, Angel Reese won’t have to wait as long, thanks in part to her supportive ‘uncle’ backing her every step of the way.

Angel Reese on the verge of her signature shoe dreams with Reebok

“I will definitely have a signature shoe.” Angel Reese has always been vocal about her dreams, and now she’s on the brink of making them a reality. After joining the WNBA in 2024, the rookie came into the league with an endorsement deal already in place with Reebok, which she signed back in October 2023 while still at LSU. This partnership was even more special as it overlapped with the promotion of her close associate, Shaquille O’Neal, who was chosen to serve as the president of Reebok Basketball.

It was in May 2024, Reese teased the possibility of bringing Reebok back into the spotlight by becoming their women’s face of basketball. It raised eyebrows that she chose not to sign with other major sports brands and instead stuck with Reebok. But she revealed that she wanted to be with a brand because one, they did not have a face for her sport, two, her uncle, and three, they let her have creative control.

It seems Reese’s dream of having her own signature shoe is closer than ever to becoming a reality. Just at the start of this month, the Sports Business Journal tweeted an exciting update about Reese’s deal with Reebok. The tweet read, “🚨 Big news in the #WNBA 🚨 @chicagosky’s Angel Reese is set to become the 2nd player in history to get a signature shoe from Reebok, following Rebecca Lobo. (via @FootwearNews ).”

With Reese poised to launch her signature shoe and Clark navigating delays, it would be a treat to witness these remarkable athletes shaping the future of women’s basketball.