Caitlin Clark has secured a significant sneaker agreement with Nike just before entering the WNBA.

The ex-Iowa Hawkeyes standout is poised to finalize a deal worth $28 million spanning the next eight years. However, Sonny Vaccaro holds the view that she was taken advantage of. Vaccaro, renowned for recruiting Michael Jordan for the athletic apparel giant in the 1980s, expressed his surprise to TMZ. He noted that Clark could have commanded a larger sum, potentially comparable to Jordan’s initial deal.

Photo of Caitlin Clark screaming and photo of Michael Jordan.

The industry luminary suggested that Clark could have negotiated a contract entailing a percentage of sales from her branded merchandise, akin to Jordan’s arrangement with the brand.
“She should have gotten a piece of everything,” he offered, “just like Michael Jordan.“
The 84-year-old reckons Clark’s agent and the other companies that dropped out of the negotiations are to blame for Nike getting a company-friendly deal with the former college basketball star.
“I’m saying to you,” Vaccaro added, “they messed up. They should have held on to the last drop.“

Still, $28 million and a signature sneaker is a whole lot for someone set to make $76,000 a year from her WNBA contract.

Caitlin Clark Makes Her WNBA Training Camp Debut


Meanwhile, Caitlin Clark has made her WNBA training camp debut following the Indiana Fever drafting her No. 1 overall earlier this month.

The 22-year-old pulled up to practice on Sunday, bringing some energy. And her entrance has gone viral.
Everyone’s looking forward to seeing how effective Clark’s game will be in the pros. Nike will have a particular interest given its significant investment.