- 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.
