The OKC Thunder have quickly become one of the most exciting and promising teams in the NBA. This season, they have impressed with their energetic and efficient style of place, which helped them clinch the first seed in a fiercely competitive Western Conference. While players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams have garnered plaudits for their scoring, it is Chet Holmgren’s instant impact that has transformed the Thunder into title contenders.

Chet Holmgren missed the 2022-23 season due to a lisfranc injury he suffered while guarding LeBron James during a preseason Pro-AM game. However, Chet’s performances during the 2023-24 season have been incredible, leaving no doubt about his possibility as a future superstar of the league. And Nike cashed in early on Chet’s growing appeal, signing a contract in October 2022, alongside 13 other rookies.

During a recent interview, Chet Holmgren stated his ambitions to mutually benefit from his deal with Nike. Chet also suggested that he wants to help Nike, valued at $143 billion, improve their brand reach and image. He said, “They’re going to help my visibility, and I’m going to help their visibility. I want to be a good partner, and I want to help uplift the image of Nike and what it stands for. They’re going to do the same for me and hopefully, we make a lot of money together.” 

Chet Holmgren remains one of the most promising youngsters on Nike’s roster. But despite his immense promise and impressive performances, Nike still hasn’t launched a personalized edition or signature shoe for Chet. He wore KD 13 shoes during his collegiate career but has shifted to wearing GT Cut 2s in the NBA. Although Chet has expressed that he wants to elevate Nike’s image, it won’t be easy, considering their latest controversies.

Nike in a continued fix

The last few days haven’t been kind on Nike. The American sportswear manufacturing giants have been embroiled in two controversies. The first, a blunder, includes women’s basketball star Caitlin Clark. After the Indiana Fevers drafted Clark with the 1st pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, jersey sales of Indiana skyrocketed, leading to an immediate sell-out of Clark’s jersey. However, for those who didn’t manage to get their hands on Caitlin Clark’s jersey, they will need to wait until August for the next opportunity.

A disclaimer on the Fanatics site read, “We are currently sold out of our initial batch of this jersey – if you choose to place a pre-order today, our restock will be available to ship in August due to Nike’s manufacturing times.” This situation gets even more astonishing when taking into consideration Caitlin Clark’s popularity and Nike’s lack of preparation for the demand.

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However, Nike’s woes don’t just end there. With the 2024 Paris Olympics right around the corner, Nike launched outfits for Track & Field athletes. But the release of the outfits has caused a massive stir on social media. Nike has faced backlash due to their female bodysuit featuring a high-cup hip design, sparking sexism accusations.

Having already faced a decline in sales figures more recently while also under fire for poorer quality, Nike hopes for the heat to dissipate quickly, considering their fiscal status has just been moved by the Bank of American from ‘neutral’ to ‘buy’.