Wetzel: Caitlin Clark's shoe is here. What took Ni...
Key takeaways
- The shoes and accompanying 18-piece apparel line will go on sale Oct. 1, but could be first worn by Clark as soon as Thursday's Indiana Fever game.
- Introducing the Caitlin 1. pic.twitter.com/FjbcquBA7L
- It marks the start of a major product and promotional push around the third-year WNBA star -- designed to spur sales and invigorate Nike while elevating Clark to even greater heights.
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
Nike signed Caitlin Clark to a marketing deal when she was in college but has so far taken a mostly back-burner approach with one of the most popular athletes in America, Dan Wetzel writes. Emily Johnson for ESPNDan Wetzel Jun 17, 2026, 05:00 PM ETClose Dan Wetzel is a senior writer focused on investigative reporting, news analysis and feature storytelling.Multiple Authors Email Print Open Extended Reactions Nike released the first images of Caitlin Clark's signature shoe, the Caitlin 1, on Wednesday. It features a sharp blue color scheme with "new performance technology designed to reduce drag and enhance movement efficiency."
The shoes and accompanying 18-piece apparel line will go on sale Oct. 1, but could be first worn by Clark as soon as Thursday's Indiana Fever game.
Coming to a logo near you. Introducing the Caitlin 1. pic.twitter.com/FjbcquBA7L