Kelsey Mitchell’s Nike deal ran out in early 2026, and instead of signing somewhere new right away, she spent the early stretch of the year without a sponsor and laced up Tyrese Haliburton’s Hali 1 in Fever games anyway, just because she liked them. On Monday, PUMA made it official. Mitchell is joining Tyrese Haliburton’s Hali sub-brand as its very first athlete, signing an endorsement deal. And for the announcement, Haliburton called her up on camera and told her to check her front door.

In the video, Mitchell opens a box on her doorstep and finds a fresh pair of blue Hali 1s, Haliburton’s signature shoe. “C’mon, you family now. You already know what it is,” he tells her over the phone. “I appreciate it, bro,” Mitchell says. 

A small detail worth noting is that the video was shot by Haliburton’s own personal videographer, not some agency crew, which is rather fitting since this wasn’t a deal that came out of nowhere. Haliburton, who shows up courtside for Fever home games at times and calls himself a basketball junkie, had already posted about her wearing his shoes a few times before any deal was official. They also wear the same number — both are No. 0 for their teams — something PUMA pointed out themselves when announcing the signing.

Mitchell summed up the connection simply: “This partnership felt authentic from the start…Seeing the success Tyrese has had with the Hali shoe from day one I’m excited to team up with him and PUMA to trail blaze the Hali franchise into the women’s game.”

Haliburton further spoke on the signing, stating, “Kelsey is one of the toughest competitors I know and somebody who has always stayed true to herself. She’s earned everything through hard work and consistency, and I’m excited to see the contribution she will make to the Hali franchise as part of the Puma family. The game continues to grow because of players like her.”

Mitchell has played every game for the Fever this season, averaging 21.6 points, third-best in the league, and is on pace for her fourth consecutive All-Star selection. She’s coming off a strong offseason too, having stayed in the U.S. to play in Unrivaled rather than going overseas, and finished fifth in MVP voting last year. None of that is what got her this deal directly, though. It’s the backdrop PUMA is betting on: a proven, durable starter who’s already shown she’ll wear the shoe even when nobody’s paying her to.

The Hali 1 only launched about nine months ago, so this is a fast turnaround from solo signature shoe to actual sub-brand with other athletes attached. PUMA said the deal was “built upon the vision and support of Tyrese Haliburton to add high-caliber athletes to his signature Hali franchise” — meaning Mitchell isn’t a one-off; she’s the first of more to come.

So, could Tyrese Haliburton’s Puma line one day build a stable of signature athletes similar to Jordan Brand? That’s impossible to say right now, but Kelsey Mitchell appears well-positioned to get her own Hali 1 colorways sooner rather than later.