- author, Brandon Drennon
- Role, BBC News
Women’s basketball star Kaitlyn Clarke has signed a sponsorship deal with US sporting goods company Wilson in a move not seen since Michael Jordan.
The company is launching a special collection of items featuring Clark, including limited edition basketballs.
Jordan, an NBA legend, was the last athlete to conclude such a deal with Wilson.
This arrangement adds to a growing list of sponsorships received by Clark, who has become one of the biggest names in American sports.
Through the multi-year sponsorship deal, Clark will become a brand ambassador and launch additional items with Wilson, a century-old sporting goods brand.
“Wilson has been with me through some of the most important moments of my career to date,” Clark said in a press release.
“I couldn’t be more excited to continue driving basketball forward alongside them. It’s a surreal feeling to have my own basketball collection.”
Clark also has endorsement deals with sports brand Nike, sports drink brand Gatorade, insurance company State Farm and more.
The 22-year-old entered the NBA this year as the first overall pick, joining the WNBA’s Indiana Fever after a prolific college career with the University of Iowa.
As a college athlete, she rose to fame by breaking dozens of basketball records and created an international fan base that now includes more than 2 million followers on Instagram.
Her influence on the game has been called the Caitlin Clark Effect.
Among the collegiate records Clark broke was the most three-point shots made in a single season, a record previously held by the NBA’s Steph Curry.
As part of the deal, Wilson will release three limited-edition basketballs in white and gold featuring Clark, celebrating her first season in the WNBA.
One shows her in a position that she often hits after making her long-range shot.
Despite her success off the field, Clarke had a rocky start as a professional.
Clark’s Indiana Fever team is zero wins and four losses on the season, although she is the team’s leading scorer, averaging 17 points per game.
“Infuriatingly humble internet trailblazer. Twitter buff. Beer nerd. Bacon scholar. Coffee practitioner.”
