Breaking news: Nike signs contract with Caitlin Clark, controversial sweepstakes program
Caitlin Clark’s salary is based on the ‘past’ success of the WNBA, not the future: Dave Portnoy
The Caitlin Clark shoe deal sweepstakes reportedly came to an end Sunday with Nike being the one to ink the Indiana Fever rookie to a deal over the likes of Adidas, Under Armour and Puma.
Clark is expected to sign an eight-year deal worth up to $28 million, The Wall Street Journal reported. Nike signed Clark in 2022 before she became the talk of the sports world with her masterful performance in the 2023 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament and her record-breaking season in 2023-24 where she set the all-time scoring marks in the game.
Caitlin Clark of the Iowa Hawkeyes dribbles around Raven Johnson of the South Carolina Gamecocks during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament National Championship at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on April 7, 2024, in Cleveland. (Al Bello / Getty Images)
Nike’s deal with Clark was set to expire in 2024, opening her up to free agency.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Clark commanded an average salary of $3 million per year. Nike not only made the offer of $3.5 million annually, but bet that Clark’s potential wouldn’t just transcend women’s sports in the U.S. They reportedly looked toward her being a major part in the Olympics in 2028 in Los Angeles and 2032 in Brisbane, Australia.
Nike’s offer also included a signature shoe for Clark, according to the report.
Under Armour reportedly came the closest to courting Clark. The Athletic reported Stephen Curry was involved in the pitch and The Journal reported the offer was a four-year deal worth $16 million.
The Nike Kobe 5 “Bruce Lee” sneakers worn by Caitlin Clark of the Iowa Hawkeyes during the 2024 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament National Championship in Cleveland. (Mike Lawrie / Getty Images)
The Fever made Clark the No. 1 overall pick in last Monday’s. draft. Nike congratulated her in a post on X.
Clark heads into her WNBA rookie season with millions of fans already in tow after she mesmerized the sports world to the point where South Carolina legendary head coach Dawn Staley already dubbed her one of the greatest of all time in women’s basketball.
Clark averaged 28.4 points over her four seasons with the Hawkeyes, including 31.6 points per game with 8.9 assists and 7.4 rebounds during her incredible 2023-2024 senior season.
She broke LSU men’s basketball legend Pete Maravich’s NCAA all-time scoring record this past season, among many other accolades, which included NCAA Tournament records on the way to a national championship run. Iowa ended up losing to undefeated South Carolina in the end.
Clark finished her career with a total of 3,951 points, including 548 three-pointers made on 1,452 attempts for a 37.7% mark from beyond the arc.
Caitlin Clark of the Iowa Hawkeyes dribbles against the South Carolina Gamecocks during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament National Championship on April 7, 2024, in Cleveland. (Ben Solomon/NCAA Photos via / Getty Images)
