Angel Reese asked, “Why not year two?” and Reebok had no answer! After the reigning MVP’s successful rollout, the Bayou Barbie decided it was her turn to shine. She moved up the release of her signature shoes by an entire year and announced the Angel Reese 1s in collaboration with Reebok. These shoes aren’t just footwear; they’re a statement. And depending on how you look at it, they might be a wake-up call for Nike and Caitlin Clark.

See, out of the CC-AR rivalry, everyone expected the Indiana Fever guard to get her own line of shoes first. Nike had a golden opportunity to capitalize on the ‘Caitlin Clark effect,’ but they decided to go another route and roll out the A’ja Wilson line first. They prioritized the MVP first, which makes sense in its own way. However, Nike opened the door for Reebok Basketball to make one of its biggest plays since its revival!

The Angel Reese 1s are set to debut on September 18, and will be released in three colorways: Diamond Dust, Receipts Ready, and the ever-iconic Mebounds. It’s clear that Angel Reese wants these shoes out as soon as possible, and according to analyst Rachel DeMita, that’s the way that it should be done.

On her show Courtside Club, DeMita talked about signature shoes in the WNBA, and its extremely popular 2024 draft class. “We’ve been talking about the rookies and their signature shoes, and everyone has been waiting on Caitlin’s signature shoe. We don’t know when that’s coming,” she said, not happy about the delay from Nike. On the flip side, Rachel DeMita had nothing but praise for Reebok’s action plan! “Congratulations to Angel, Reebok. They’re doing it big, and they’re doing it the right way, and they’re doing it quick. You have to get on these things. These women have so much hype around them.”

We’ve heard rumors about Nike and Caitlin Clark coming out with a shoe by November, but nothing has been confirmed so far. Considering just how popular CC actually is, people have been questioning Nike’s decision to wait on giving her a signature shoe, including one of their former Marketing Directors! Let’s find out what the ex-Nike official had to say.

Ex-Marketing Director questions Nike on its Caitlin Clark decisions

Even though Nike has dedicated some Kobe 5 Protos to the Indiana Fever and Caitlin Clark, it’s clear that the fans want more. Clark, over the last couple of years, has reached a level of stardom very few athletes ever have. The “Caitlin Clark Effect” has completely revolutionized the WNBA’s reach and financial success, leading to more viewers, more sponsors, and better circumstances for the league. So, it would only make sense that Caitlin Clark gets her own shoe, right?

Well, Nike didn’t see it that way. Honestly, the shoewear company was facing quite the conundrum: Do they go with the league’s MVP, a long-time Nike athlete, or with the young upstart? Elliott Hill’s people decided to go with A’ja Wilson, and we can’t really fault them! It’s not like they’ve been neglecting Caitlin Clark—she was the headliner for their biggest ad campaign in a very long time, after all.

However, according to Jordan Rogers, a former Brand Marketing Director for Nike Basketball, the company needs to go bigger behind Caitlin Clark. “You have the single biggest needle mover in all of American sports since Michael Jordan, and you have somehow convinced yourself that you need to slow-play this?” he questioned in a TikTok video.

Rogers speculated that the only reason Nike was hesitant to give CC a bigger campaign and a shoe would be politics: “One of the best explanations I can come up with is that you are wringing your hands and afraid to enter into this politically divisive conversation that has been co-opted by the media and pundits.”

It’s a tricky situation, but Jordan Rogers believed that it’s not impossible to navigate. He issued a desperate plea to Nike Basketball, asking them to see reason: “You have the unicorn, the chosen one, the one who everyone wants to hear from, and you are just sitting around… Please, for the love of God, figure something out.”

People have been begging for a Caitlin Clark line for quite a long time now, but Nike hasn’t confirmed anything so far. CC getting her own shoe is inevitable, but it will be interesting to see when exactly the company gives her one. Stay tuned for more updates!