Caitlin Clark Achieves Major Off-Court Win After WNBA Draft
After breaking college basketball records at Iowa, Caitlin Clark saw a rapid rise to fame, which helped increase the WNBA’s popularity.
Several seasons ago, she became the No. 1 pick of the Indiana Fever, instantly drawing highly viewed games due to Clark’s presence on the court. It also turned the team into a contender, and despite an injury last season, they retained core players to make another run in the coming season with Clark healthy.
With her popularity, she’s also been able to cash in on various endorsements and brand deals, including a signature Nike shoe.
Her first-ever Kobe 5 Protro x Caitlin Clark “Rookie of the Year” shoes dropped on Wednesday for $190. Customers could get their hands on a pair via a lottery in the popular SNKRS app, which started this morning and featured 10-minute windows.
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And according to USA Today’s Trisha Easto, the shows were a major success, selling out on the app within minutes earlier today. There was some good news for individuals who didn’t get a pair through the SNKRS app: Clark’s Nike shoes were also expected to sell at retailers, including DICK’s Sporting Goods and Foot Locker, but in smaller quantities.
That limited availability certainly helps a shoe gain increased demand. Still, it’s hard to argue against Clark’s overall popularity, since she captivated the nation with her scoring records at Iowa several years ago.
The new Nike Kobe 5 Protro Caitlin Clark “Rookie of the Year” shoes feature a shiny silver colorway with bold red on the swoosh logo, laces, inner lining, and outsole. The shoe also features a personalized Kobe PE logo on the tongue and a replica signature across the heel.
It’s a major achievement for Clark, and she’ll likely have many more successful releases of other shoes, as she achieves new records and milestones in the WNBA.
Her team is looking towards another successful season, with the recent WNBA Draft helping them add more talent to the roster. In the first round, they selected 5-foot-8 South Carolina guard Raven Johnson to provide help in the backcourt when Kelsey Mitchell is out with an injury or on the bench.
In addition, Indiana selected two other guards: Vanderbilt’s Justine Pissott in the second round and Alabama’s Jessica Timmons in the third round. According to Bleacher Report, Pissott is a 6-foot-4 stretch forward who could help in the front court, and Timmons shot nearly 40 percent from three-point range in college.
Even without Clark in the lineup, the team nearly made an incredible postseason run to the WNBA Finals, and based on her performance at the FIBA qualifying tournament with Team USA, she is healthy and ready to play another season. That has the Fever sitting just behind the New York Liberty and ahead of the champion Las Vegas Aces in the odds to win the WNBA Final.
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This story was originally published April 15, 2026 at 11:08 AM.