One of the most anticipated sneakers in women’s basketball history is finally on its way. Earlier this week, Nike officially unveiled the Caitlin 1, the first-ever signature shoe of the Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark. But while many fans were busy celebrating the moment, two analysts found themselves reminiscing about some of the WNBA’s most iconic signature shoes.

“My first signature shoe was the Lisa Leslie Nike Total Air 9. Bring these shoes back. I need to see some of these on the shelves. Let’s do a small run of each one of these shoes because I need a new pair,” Alicia Jay said in a recent episode of We Need to Talk, before joking about how she can’t even look at her old pairs.

Now, Erica L. Ayala, a sneakerhead herself, quickly jumped in to agree as she pointed out the OG pairs she’d line up to buy again.

“100%. Because I could tell you right now. I know exactly what size I wear. The Swoopes 3 and the Swoopes 4, probably like the 2, 3, and 4 for sure. I’ll probably go ahead and get the whole collection. But I’m telling you, the 3 and the 4, that’s what I used to hoop in. So, I’m with you there,” she said.

Long before Caitlin Clark, A’ja Wilson, or Sabrina Ionescu were even born, Sheryl Swoopes had already inked her deal with Nike to become the first female basketball player with a signature shoe. Released in October 1995, months before the WNBA’s inaugural season tipped off, the Air Swoopes marked a turning point for women’s basketball and the broader sportswear industry. Designed with input from Swoopes herself and Nike designer Marni Gerber, the shoe featured details tailored specifically to female athletes, including rounded heel tabs inspired by Swoopes’ long nails.

The success of the Air Swoopes proved there was a market for women’s signature basketball footwear. Between 1995 and 2002, Nike released seven models in the line, the longest signature run ever for a female basketball player, and later reissued the Air Swoopes II in 2018, making Swoopes the first woman to receive a retro release of her performance shoe.

Among the stars who followed was Lisa Leslie, whose Nike Total Air 9 arrived in 1998. Leslie worked directly on the design of her signature shoes by drawing inspiration from luxury fashion while adding a few personal touches that reflected her own style and identity. Inspired by Chanel handbags she admired growing up, the shoe featured a quilted leather upper, metallic silver accents, and Leslie’s jersey number instead of her name. Priced at $140 at launch, it was one of the most premium women’s basketball sneakers of its era.

At that time, Nike appeared fully committed to building a new generation of women’s basketball signature athletes by turning individual stars into marketable sneaker franchises and expanding what the sport’s commercial future could look like. By the end of the decade, players such as Dawn Staley and Cynthia Cooper had also joined Nike’s growing roster of signature athletes.

Swoopes’ line continued for several years, but most of those early signature collections slowly started to disappear from shelves. As the years passed, many became difficult to find outside of resale markets and collectors’ collections, despite the players remaining some of the most influential figures in women’s basketball history.

The analysts’ calls for retro releases reflect a broader point: today’s signature sneaker boom did not start with Clark. Modern lines from stars like Sabrina Ionescu and A’ja Wilson, along with upcoming releases such as the Caitlin 1, are part of a blueprint established by pioneers like Swoopes and Leslie nearly three decades ago.

But let’s come back to Caitlin Clark now, because she is very much the center of gravity in the sneaker world at the moment.

After 17 months of anticipation, Nike finally revealed what the shoe will look like and the latest technology that they will bring to the table. The Caitlin 1 features Nike Opticast, a new upper that “delivers lightweight, locked-in support, so you can push tempo without feeling weighed down.”

As per Nike, they also come with “a responsive Air Zoom Turbo unit paired with Cushlon foam that helps you stay smooth and controlled through every move,” which is designed to keep the shoe closer to the foot.

Now, when the Caitlin 1 hits shelves on October 1 at $140 in North America and $135 globally, it won’t just be another signature drop. It will be the latest chapter in a story that started decades ago.