A’ja Wilson, Caitlin Clark, and Sabrina Ionescu! Apart from being WNBA standouts, the one thing common among these 3 names is their signature link with American sports heavyweight Nike. However, out of these 3, only Liberty’s dynamic No.20 has had the privilege to flaunt a unisex franchise with the company. But, what were the driving forces that pushed towards such a monumental development for her? Let’s hear it directly from the 26-year-old.

Sharing a stage with the likes of NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, and basketball Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a special feeling. Well, the occasion gets more noteworthy for Ionescu when she gets a chance to describe the motivation behind her being the first female athlete to have a unisex legacy with the $124.79 billion company.

“I learned a lot in my first year in terms of what the league standed for. What it is we were pushing and how we were going to continue to try and fight for equality. Being able to have a signature shoe now with Nike. In my first push, was wanting to have a unisex shoe that had never been done before. Really thankful that Nike was on board with that and wanted to create that change with me as well.” 

Ionescu made a signature shoe debut with the Sabrina 1. These sneakers were a part of Nike Basketball’s Fall and Holiday 2023 lineup. These $125 pair of shoes were a result of an endorsement deal she penned down with Nike in April 2020. The shoes were an instant hit as soon they were made public. Not only did its popularity grow among the fans, but it also made its presence felt in the NBA. The revelation was put forth by Ionescu herself moments later. She added, “I think a 177 NBA players were in my shoe at one point last year.”

Anyhow, that wasn’t the only interesting turn of events as a result of Sabrina 1.

Sabrina Ionescu’s signature shoe taking the professional world by storm

One of the first to sport Sabrina 1 was Boston Celtics point guard Jrue Holiday who wore it in 57 games. The other popular NBA entities deciding to join this campaign were Mikal Bridges, DaQuan Jeffries, and Jordan Poole. Later, it was revealed that a total of 114 NBA and WNBA ballers chose to flaunt it in their regular season fixtures. But, that was not all. New York Jets running back Breece Hall decided that the NFL should also bask in its aura. Seemingly he wore custom Sabrina 1 cleats in a game during the 2023 NFL season.

The aforementioned success paved the way for Nike to launch its second edition. An eye-catching “Court Vision” colorway headlined its June 28th release earlier this year. The sneakers are available both in Adult & Kids sizes.

Indeed, Sabrina Ionescu slays it outside the court as well. This is a classic example of how an athlete can be an inspiration even through his/her financial collaborations. It remains to see what Sabrina has in store for us next.

Stay tuned for more such updates. And join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show”. Our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.