Caitlin Clark is expected to create as many waves in the WNBA as Michael Jordan did in the NBA after he was drafted in 1984. Her great exploits and record-shattering performances playing for the Iowa Hawkeyes in the NCAA and Division I tournaments made her the first overall pick in this past WNBA draft. Consequently, countless shoe brands sought an opportunity to sign the emerging talent within their ranks. However, it was Nike that eventually bagged a deal with Clark.
The college phenom became the first WNBA athlete to bag a shoe deal as a rookie, joining the likes of only nine other players in the men’s league to have received the same. Currently, Clark is expected to sign a $28 million contract with Nike that will span for eight years and include a signature shoe as well. While Clark looks set to take this deal, former Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro believes that the Oregon-based company isn’t doing Clark enough justice with this proposed offer.
Vaccaro is well known as the executive behind Nike’s signing of Michael Jordan in 1984. In an interview with TMZ Sports, the now-84-year-old feels that Caitlin Clark deserved a deal similar to MJ’s for the talent she brings into the WNBA. “She should have gotten a piece of everything, just like Michael Jordan,” the former Nike executive said. “I’m saying to you, they messed up. They should have held on to the last drop.”
From the media attention and ticket sales that Caitlin Clark’s presence has guaranteed already, Vaccaro also revealed that he believes she is perhaps the greatest female basketball player in the world. However, he also highlighted how the fault lies on Caitlin Clark’s team and the other shoe companies for not pursuing Clark in the right manner.
Vaccaro does seem to be right on the money, especially given the star power that Caitlin Clark has at the moment. Perhaps her team can find a way to re-negotiate with Nike, perhaps even bring another company into prominence in this conversation. However, until that happens, the player is forsaken to be underpaid by Nike.
Sonny Vaccaro was the architect behind the signing of Michael Jordan’s historic shoe deal
Approximately 40 years ago, Sonny Vaccaro finalized what came to be known as the greatest shoe deal in NBA history. Vaccaro had convinced Nike in 1984 to pursue the 21-year-old Michael Jordan from UNC, who was slated to be picked as the third overall pick in that year’s NBA draft.
Vaccaro crafted a deal that would guarantee MJ $2.5 million over five years and a signature shoe line. Furthermore, MJ’s mother Deloris Jordan also convinced Nike to make sure MJ received a piece of the pie from each item using his likeness. This deal paved the way for a revolution in athlete endorsements, with Jordan carving the path for several other athletes to make millions from sponsorships. To this day, Jordan continues to earn 5% from the sales of Jordan Brand, having just added $300 million to his name in 2023 alone, [per Sportskeeda].
