New York
CNN
—
Breakout basketball star Caitlin Clark has a brand new achievement that hasn’t been achieved since Michael Jordan.
The WNBA participant signed a multiyear cope with Wilson Sporting Items Co., the league’s official basketball provider, for “signature basketball collections celebrating Clark’s continued legacy,” the corporate introduced Tuesday.
Wilson mentioned that Clark will “check, advise and supply suggestions on a spread” of its basketball merchandise, grow to be a model ambassador and launch new collections that commemorate her all through the remainder of 2024. As well as, she’s going to “creatively direct her first-ever signature basketball line” that may roll out later this 12 months.
Monetary phrases of the deal weren’t launched.
She’s the first-ever feminine athlete to have her personal assortment with Wilson, an organization spokesperson informed CNN, with the collection being constructed just like Jordan’s assortment within the Eighties, which included signature basketballs and attire.
“Wilson has been with me throughout among the most pivotal moments in my profession to this point, and I couldn’t be extra excited to proceed driving basketball ahead alongside them,” Clark mentioned in a press launch. “It feels surreal to have my very own basketball assortment, and to have an effect on what which means for future generations of athletes.”
The primary assortment launched Tuesday on Wilson’s website, with a restricted assortment of gold-colored basketballs that includes a drawing of Clark alongside along with her signature.
Wilson, which has produced the basketballs for the NBA for a number of many years, grew to become the official recreation ball of the WNBA in 2020. The corporate additionally sells basketballs with WNBA group logos on them.
Clark, the no. 1 draft choose, joined the Indiana Fever earlier this month and has been a boon for the league since: Her debut drew a median of 2.1 million viewers on ESPN2, ESPN+ and Disney+, making it essentially the most watched WNBA recreation in additional than 20 years.
Nike can be reportedly on the verge of signing Clark to design her shoe line, however no official deal has been formally introduced. She additionally has sponsorship offers with State Farm, Gatorade, Panini and others, valued at round $3 million.