Caitlin Clark is reportedly close to cementing a hefty endorsement deal with Nike.
The Athletic was the first to break the news Wednesday evening, commenting that the deal would be worth "eight figures" and include her own signature shoe. On Thursday afternoon, the publication tweeted that the deal would top $20 million, according to lead NBA Insider Shams Charania. Both Under Armour and Adidas are said to have also made sizable offers to the college phenom and expected future WNBA star.
The new agreement comes after Clark's previous Nike partnership ended with the conclusion of the college basketball season. She was one of five NCAA athletes to sign an NIL deal with the brand back in October, 2022.Â
Considering Clark's overwhelming popularity and Nike's deep pockets, the signing's purported value doesn't exactly come as a shock. New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescuâs deal with the brand is reportedly worth $24 million, while NBA rookie and No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyamaâs deal is rumored to weigh in at $100 million. And in 2003, LeBron James famously earned $90 million off his own Nike deal.Â
Clarkâs star power continues to skyrocket, with the NCAA championship averaging 18.9 million viewers and the 2024 WNBA Draft more than doubling its previous viewership record. Following the draft, Fanatics stated that Clark's Indiana Fever jersey â which sold out within an hour â was the top seller for any draft night pick in the companyâs history, with droves of unlucky fans now being forced to wait until August to get their hands on some official No. 22 gear.
In Wednesday's Indiana Fever introductory press conference, the unfailingly cool, calm, and collected Clark said that turning pro hasnât made a huge impact on how sheâs conducting her deals.
"If Iâm being completely honest, I feel like it doesnât change a ton from how I lived my life over the course of the last year," she said. "Sponsorships stay the same. The people around me, agents and whatnot, have been able to help me and guide me through the course of the last year. I donât know if I would be in this moment if it wasnât for a lot of them."