This week, Caitlin Clark, arguably the biggest star in women’s college basketball history, was drafted No. 1 overall by the Indiana Fever in the WNBA Draft in what could turn out to be a league-altering selection.
The former Iowa Hawkeyes star’s measly professional contract drew the ire of many,
but an eight-figure endorsement deal with Nike that’s expected to provide her with a signature shoe will ensure she gets her deserved big payday.
But Nike’s wasn’t the only offer she had on the table.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Under Armour also made a pitch to Clark which involved Golden State Warriors star and brand ambassador Steph Curry.
“Stephen Curry was involved in the Under Armour pitch, which is notable,” Charania said on FanDuel TV’s Run it Back.
“He has Curry Brand with Under Armour. He was involved with that pitch. Him and Caitlin Clark, I think, are beginning to build a relationship, but she’s not signing there. And she will soon be official with Nike.”
It’s unclear how Clark’s potential partnership with Under Armour would have looked – she may have become part of the Curry Brand which is a subsidiary of Under Armour.
Four-time NBA champion Curry signed with Under Armour in 2023 and established his own label as a standalone in 2020.
Curry became president of the Curry Brand last year after agreeing to a long term deal – a deal which also gave him $75 million in Under Armour shares.
However, a possible slice of the Under Armour/Curry pie – as well as a deal with Adidas which was tabled – was not enough to entice Clark, who ultimately decided to sign with the Nike family instead.
“It’s fair to say it’s above $20 million,” Charania said of Caitlin Clark’s shoe deal with Nike.
Clark will become just the third active WNBA player to have her own signature sneaker, joining New York Liberty stars Sabrina Ionescu (Nike) and Breanna Stewart (Puma).
Under Armour and Curry capturing the signature of a transcendent star like Clark would have been an obvious slam dunk.
Their loss is Nike’s gain.
Less than an hour after being drafted, Clark’s Fever jersey sold out in every size barring small, speaking to her immense marketability.
Fever tickets sales have also gone through the roof for next season, while 36 of their 40 games will be on national television.
Sharpshooter Clark has drawn comparisons to Curry for her ability to shoot logo threes and score from anywhere on the court.
Curry has spoken about the comparisons before but thinks it’s unfair to pigeonhole Clark as a shooter when she does so many other things so well.
“I’ve been watching from afar and understanding just how much of a power she is out there on the court,” Curry said.
“The cool part is the way that she plays, and her range, and the level of difficulty on her shots is obviously a very close comparison to the way that I play.
“But I think it almost robs her of like the rest of her game because she’s such a good floor [general], she has her overall floor game.
“She’s racking up close to triple-doubles every night. Her shooting ability is her super power, but the rest of her game is as polished as that, so this is must-see TV.”
Last season, Clark became the all-time leading scorer in NCAA Division I history by surpassing LSU legend Pete Maravich’s record of 3,667 career points.
She also surpassed Curry’s NCAA Division I single-season three-point record (162).
Curry and Clark together in Under Armour will ultimately never be, but fans may still see them competing on a court next season.
The Warriors star and Sabrina Ionescu had a 3-point competition at the NBA’s All-Star Weekend in February, which they might run back next year.
The Athletic reported that a two-on-two competition could even be on the cards in 2025 including Golden State teammate Klay Thompson and Clark.
But before that, Clark has her WNBA debut to focus on.
She will get her first taste of the pros in the Fever’s first regular-season game of the new season on 14 May against the Connecticut Sun.
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Source: Chicago Tribune
