Sophie Cunningham Finds Herself at Odds With Caitlin Clark’s Nike Logo After Risky Confession

Caitlin Clark is a sweetheart, always turning each new sneaker launch into a special occasion for others. Earlier this season, she gifted a pair of Kobe 5 Protros in Fever colors to the Butler team. Not just that. During the Commissioner’s Cup Finals, she even gifted her newly launched sneakers to the Fever staff. Well, now that she’s rocking her own signature logo, the celebrations are only getting bigger. But while others adore her thoughtful gestures, Sophie Cunningham might not be among them!

Often referred to as CC’s “bodyguard,” Sophie has a strong bond with her teammate. She was overjoyed when Caitlin’s signature logo—an interlocking C, released after a year-long wait—finally came out. When Indiana gave away free shirts featuring the CC signature logo during a game against Seattle, Sophie posted a picture of herself with a half-broken tooth, joking: “I’ll never be cool enough to have my own signature logo, BUT IF I WAS, I’d want it to be my top teeth from this photo.” Only Sophie could poke fun at CC while still offering congratulations. Even so, she can’t wear any of that apparel, despite her admiration for it.

During a recent episode of her podcast show, Show Me Something, she shared, “I’m really proud of all women in our league that have a logo because they truly are all bada–es and they deserve it. And so I do think Caitlin was next. And yeah, like it’s so simple, but it’s still abstract and confusing enough that it fits her perfectly. So I’m excited. Like it’s, it’s awesome. She deserves it.” There are only a handful of active WNBA players with signature shoes—historically including legends like Candace Parker and Dawn Staley, and now A’ja Wilson, Sabrina Ionescu, Angel Reese, and Caitlin Clark, who are carrying the legacy forward.

Jun 7, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Injured Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham (8) and guard Caitlin Clark (22) react from the bench during the first half of a WNBA game against the Chicago Sky at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn ImagesBut CC stands out. In just her sophomore year, she’s set 19 rookie records, ignited debate as the “face of the league,” and signed the largest-ever Nike endorsement for a WNBA player—worth $28 million. And now, it’s a signature logo. Sophie particularly likes “one of her little diamond necklaces” with the logo, joking she “might have to steal that from her locker when she’s doing rehab.” But can she do it? Wear that necklace and post photos? A big no.

Well, that’s because she’s an Adidas ambassador. “Oh, I’m Adidas. Three stripes, baby. I’ll give you some Adidas swag. You need to start rocking it. They’re great. Great people too. Well, I don’t have to be conscious because I actually prefer Adidas now that I’m wearing it. I’m an athlete. Like I’m not kidding. Their stuff is just way more comfy. Their shoes are swaggy.” While Sophie’s been with Adidas for the last four years, she just recently inked an extension.

Rumors swirl about how she landed her endorsement—some say it was for “beating someone up.” There’s some truth to that: her fame grew after her June 17th on-court incident, protecting Caitlin after an opponent fouled her, which did lead to new partnerships. Now Sophie has deals with Ring (where she fronted a campaign about “protecting her ring” at home), Arby’s, and Adidas, and her social media following has exploded. But Adidas is her brand, and she has been signed since 2022.

So Sophie’s fondness for Adidas puts her at odds with CC’s Nike logo. “Like I’m not—I actually want to wear it. And I’m just saying that for real. Like, yeah, I think I’d be honest about it,” she said. But it’s not just contract rules she’s following.

For Sophie Cunningham, it was a hard lesson she learned through personal experience.

Sophie learned her lesson the hard way. During one winter, after self-tanning and needing to rush to an event, she grabbed a big, baggy T-shirt belonging to an ex-boyfriend—unfortunately, it was Nike. After posting it on Instagram, she got “in huge trouble. Yeah, yeah. And I was like, Oh my God, I was like, I am I’m so sorry. I was like, I was trying to find a dirty T-shirt so I didn’t ruin one. But yeah, I yeah, you’ll get in trouble for all that.”

That experience made her cautious about wearing Nike again. Though she now prefers Adidas, she once wore Nike at the start of her career, but officially switched to Adidas three years ago.

“The thing that I love about Adidas, honestly, their basketball shoes are amazing. And I’m not just saying that. They have a lot of good athletes who have great signature shoes and whatnot…. But their streetwear is so f–king swaggy,” she continued on the podcast. While Sophie isn’t a signature athlete (Adidas hasn’t had a WNBA signature line since Candace Parker’s), she remains a genuine sneaker enthusiast and is often seen enjoying new sneakers.

So, while Sophie jokes about “stealing” CC’s diamond necklace, she simply can’t wear it in public like others can—her loyalty and contracts with Adidas take priority.