Former Iowa superstar point guard Caitlin Clark signed an endorsement deal with Nike last week and the deal will pay her $28 million over eight years, a new Wall Street Journal report says.
Clark, who became the WNBA’s first overall selection when the Indiana Fever took her first in the April 15 Draft, is by far the most hyped and anticipated prospect the WNBA has ever seen. While much rancor has been sewn over her relatively minuscule WNBA contract – her deal is for roughly $76,000 a year for her first four seasons – she’ll be more than supplemented by this new Nike deal.
Her contract will also come with a signature shoe, according to the WSJ report.
CLEVELAND, OHIO – APRIL 07: Caitlin Clark #22 of the Iowa Hawkeyes reacts in the second half during the 2024 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament National Championship game against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on April 07, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio. Steph Chambers/Getty Images
Clark’s agents had informed the bidding brands, which included Adidas, Under Armour and Puma, that the minimum bid would be at least $3 million, according to the report. (RELATED: Caitlin Clark Follows In Aaron Rodgers Footsteps, Commits To Weekly Segment On Popular Show)
Caitlin Clark #22 of the Iowa Hawkeyes signs autographs for fans after the game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Williams Arena on February 28, 2024 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Hawkeyes defeated the Golden Gophers 108-60. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
She also apparently turned down an enticing pitch from Under Armour that included bringing in Warriors superstar Steph Curry to help convince her to take their $16 million offer, according to WSJ. But alas, Nike came in over the top and the rest is history.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – APRIL 15: Caitlin Clark arrives prior to the 2024 WNBA Draft at Brooklyn Academy of Music on April 15, 2024 in New York City. Sarah Stier/Getty Images
I can’t express how much I respect and admire this girl. She’s single-handedly gotten the country to care about a sport nobody remotely paid attention to before. She’s elevated her colleagues to a different level of attention. And now she’s breaking records on the endorsement side as well.
I’m still not going to watch women’s basketball. Sorry. Just not interested. But I respect the hell out of this girl’s ability to chase a bag. Tell ’em “bring me my money‘ Caitlin!