It has been exactly one year, and it is hard not to wonder if Caitlin Clark backed the wrong horse. Under Armour waved $16 million for over four years, Adidas showed up with $6 million like it was a casual gift, and Puma ran too with $3 million annually. But Clark bet big on Nike—thinking long-term legacy, global reach, and the prestige that comes with the Swoosh. So, she signed that massive eight-year, $28 million deal with Nike, and it instantly became the richest sponsorship deal ever for a WNBA player. It further came with perks that most athletes only dream about. Chief among them? Her own signature shoe, a milestone only reached by elite names like those of LeBron James and Kevin Durant. But while the headlines at the time were all about triumph, the road since then hasn’t exactly been smooth.

As said, it’s been well over a year since the deal was signed, and yet… there’s no signature shoe. No major campaign. No splashy rollouts or prime-time commercials. And it’d be one thing if Nike were holding back across the board. But that’s not what’s happening. In fact, Caitlin’s one of the biggest opponents, A’ja Wilson, is getting the red-carpet treatment.

Just recently, A’ja debuted her long-awaited signature shoe—the A’One—with a powerful campaign that had everyone talking. And leading the creative charge? None other than Malia Obama. Yes, that Malia Obama, Barack Obama’s daughter. The 26-year-old stepped fully into her directorial role to help Nike bring Wilson’s story to life.

Then the campaign wasn’t just visually stunning—it was intentional. It celebrated Black girlhood and Southern roots, using details like braided beads that spelled “A’ja” and a remix of the hand-clapping classic “Miss Mary Mack” to drive it all home. In one of the short films, Wilson plays the game with a young girl, the lyrics reworked to shout out her on-court dominance. In another, we see her back home in Columbia, South Carolina, reflecting quietly at Big T’s Bar-B-Que on what it means to have her name on a Nike shoe. It was powerful, personal, and beautifully done. Wilson is the first Black woman since Sheryl Swoopes in 2002 to have a signature Nike basketball shoe. And the ad’s theme, “She did it for us”, hit with impact.

For A’ja’s fans, it was a celebration. But for Caitlin Clark’s supporters? It was another reminder that their star’s moment keeps getting delayed. The last real update from Nike came back on January 27. That’s when CEO Elliot Hill mentioned to Fortune that Caitlin had been at Nike HQ just weeks earlier, fine-tuning the designs for her upcoming shoe. “We had Caitlin Clark today,” Hill said. “We’re working on her signature shoe that will launch, and we’re working on her logo and that design.”

And since then? Crickets.

Maybe Nike is quietly perfecting the product behind the scenes. Or maybe that statement was just damage control to cool the growing frustration among fans. Either way, the silence is loud.

Nike’s real face for promises made to Caitlin Clark

While Nike has said that Clark’s signature shoe is in the works, things have been oddly quiet from her side. There haven’t been any behind-the-scenes clips, design teases, or even a confirmation from Caitlin’s own team about her visiting Nike HQ. Sure, it’s possible the whole process is being kept under wraps for confidentiality.

But the silence is not the only thing raising eyebrows. Even their action speaks louder.

When Caitlin Clark dropped 16 points in just 19 minutes during the Indiana Fever’s preseason matchup against Brazil at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, it was more than just a game—it was a full-circle moment. The real headline, though? That logo three from 36 feet out that swished clean through the net. The shot was electric. Fans went wild. Social media exploded.

But one major brand stayed quiet: Nike.

That’s right. Despite having Clark under an eight-figure endorsement deal—and even with her signature shoe rollout already running behind—Nike didn’t post a single thing about the viral highlight. For fans, it was frustrating. The moment felt tailor-made for a Nike campaign or at least a shoutout. Instead, nothing. That silence sparked a wave of reaction online.

But there was one fan who summed it up perfectly: “.@Nike y’all don’t got internet or what? 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂”
A little humour, sure, but the sentiment hit hard. Even Clark’s boyfriend, Connor McCaffery, seemed annoyed. He reposted the comment, signaling that he, too, was wondering what was going on with Nike’s radio silence. But, once again, the brand had no public response. And once again, fans were left with more questions than answers.

Still, despite all the frustration, there’s one small sign that things might be moving in the right direction. Clark has been seen rocking player-exclusive Nike Kobe 5 Protros in a special “Indiana Fever” colorway. According to reports, that exact model will be available to the public on June 1, 2025, via the Nike SNKRS app. It’s not her signature shoe, but it’s something, and it’s keeping hope alive.

At least for me it is!