With a big chunk of her loyal fanbase behind her, if anyone’s truly lived this Caitlin Clark journey from the sidelines, it’s Nike. Clark’s been rocking the Swoosh since 2022. From that little girl who grew up idolizing Nike athletes, in her words, “who inspire her to make a difference,” to becoming the brand’s golden girl, this story has felt like destiny. But it’s not just Caitlin keeping the spotlight on Nike these days. Her boyfriend, Connor McCaffery, has been supporting everything she’s done with the brand, and now, it looks like he has a request, too.

If you remember, Caitlin broke the NCAA scoring record while wearing the Kobe 5 “Bruce Lee” – those black and yellow ones everyone was talking about. She’s been a Kobe girl through and through, from general releases to player-exclusive fire. And now that Nike’s fully leaning into her star power, the brand is launching exclusive player-only (PE) colorways for her. 

Normally, this kind usually stays locked away in the vault. But for Caitlin, rules don’t apply. Nike’s been cracking the code just to meet her moment. We’ve already seen some of the gems custom-made for CC. There was the jaw-dropping Indiana Fever-themed Kobe 5 Protro she wore right before her playoff debut against the Connecticut Sun. Then in August, Nike came back with a sky-blue Kobe 6 PE. Not to forget the custom golf cleats she sported for The Annika Pro-Am.

Now, just a week back, her latest sneaker news came from outside the W. During Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Thunder fans geared up for the opening tip, and sneakerheads were already buzzing. Because right there, warming up for the Thunder, was Alex Caruso – rocking a pair of Clark’s Nike Kobe 5 Protro “Indiana Fever” PEs. 

The shoe is a clear tribute to both her WNBA team and her Iowa roots, with navy leather (for the Fever) and crimson and gold accents (for the Hawkeyes). She first wore those back in July 2024 during a Fever practice. But no one expected them to make it to the NBA hardwood. Let alone on Caruso, who hadn’t worn any of Caitlin’s Nike collabs before, even though he’s a longtime Kobe shoe loyalist.

That alone got attention, but it was McCaffery’s comment that made headlines. He chimed in with, “Where are mine at @Nike?” Fans instantly latched on. Was he teasing something? Or manifesting a future drop? For those who don’t know, Connor is also a former athlete and currently an assistant coach at Butler. So maybe he’s just joking, or maybe he actually wants a PE of his own. It’s rare, but not impossible. Nike once made a 1-of-1 Air Force 1 for Coach Mike Krzyzewski when he hit 800 career wins. So sure, a coach getting his own shoe can happen, but it’s not common.

While we wait to see if Connor’s post leads anywhere, fans are also waiting for Clark’s PE to officially drop on June 30. But just to be clear, that’s not her long-awaited signature line that was promised when she signed her record-breaking deal. That’s still in the works. Back in January, Nike CEO Elliott Hill said Clark had visited their headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon, to continue work on her shoe and personal logo. 

“We had Caitlin Clark today,” he said. “We’re working on her signature shoe that will launch, and we’re working on her logo and that design.” No timeline was given. Just that it’s happening. By now, you must know that fans, media, and even industry folks have started to question the wait. It’s been over a year. The hype is there. The demand is high. So what’s taking so long?

But wait, do we have an update? 

Caitlin Clark’s signature shoe to release this holiday?

As already discussed, Caitlin Clark may not officially carry the Kobe legacy, but she’s easily become the face of the line in today’s game. From general-release Kobes in college to her very own player-exclusive colorways, Clark’s been rocking those sneakers like they were made just for her. Now, some of them are. T

his comes after Clark signed a record-breaking eight-year, $28 million signature deal with Nike in 2024. It was the biggest sponsorship contract ever for a women’s basketball player. Since then, she’s been featured in Nike campaigns, including the “Just Win” campaign earlier this year. But oddly enough, Nike hasn’t gone all-in just yet. They’ve been pushing A’ja Wilson’s signature sneaker first, and Clark fans are feeling the delay. Now for the update….yes, a signature line is coming, but it’s going to take a while. According to Kicks Finder, Nike plans to unveil Clark’s signature logo during the 2025 holiday season. 

That means fans can expect to see the logo in November or December. As of now, there are no mock-ups or leaks. Naturally, fans are frustrated. One of the most vocal critics has been former Nike Basketball Marketing Director Jordan Rogers. He hasn’t held back. He’s posted lengthy newsletters and even Instagram videos calling Nike out. According to him, this delay is one of the biggest marketing misses in recent memory. His point is that Nike isn’t doing nearly enough to support the hottest name in women’s basketball.

But what’s done is done. Now, fans are just hoping that once things do roll out, it’s worth the wait. Clark’s popularity isn’t slowing down, and Nike knows it. So while there’s still no sneaker on shelves, the hype is very real. Let’s just hope it finally lives up to all the buzz.