Women’s Basketball Reinvigorates the Sneaker Market

Adidas just named the recently retired Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) player Candace Parker as its president of women’s basketball. Parker, who will oversee new product development at Adidas, was the first woman to become the brand’s signature athlete in 2010 with the release of the Adidas TS Ace Commander – the brand’s first-ever women’s basketball sneaker.

In 2021, Breanna Stewart signed a deal with Puma, at the time becoming only the third-ever WNBA player (and the first in a decade) to get their own signature shoe. Meanwhile, Sabrina Ionescu’s Nike shoe is a favourite among players, and her second release has caused an online storm following its announcement in May 2024. Stewart and Ionescu along with Jewell Loyd, who has her own sneaker with Nike, are the only three active WNBA players with signature sneakers of their own – compared with more than 30 players in the NBA. But that’s about to change.

Parker’s Adidas appointment comes alongside news that A’ja Wilson and Caitlin Clark recently signed deals with Nike to develop their own signature sneakers (the latter’s being the biggest-ever deal for a women’s basketball player), while Angel Reese has a sneaker in the works with Reebok.

Commercial appeal of signature shoes for women athletes aside, there’s a largely untapped opportunity in performance footwear to be unearthed in this space, as – aside from the few examples mentioned above – women players have largely had to wear shoes made for men. American brand Moolah Kicks designs basketball sneakers specifically for women and girls, with a goal to reduce the risk of on-court injuries.

It follows in the footsteps of brands such as Australia’s Ida Sports, as well as releases like Nike’s Phantom Luna, in making football cleats specifically for women, who are significantly more at risk of ACL injuries than men. In fact, 82% of women footballers report feeling pain and discomfort in ‘traditional’ cleats (read The Brief for more). Elsewhere, UK-based Maiden Cricket was founded in response to the ill-fitting cricket kits made for girls teams. Smart brands will continue to identify and address the often-overlooked issues faced by women athletes across a variety of sports via innovative product development.

The commercial opportunity in women’s basketball isn’t limited to sneakers. Swiss watch brand Tissot and American sporting giant Wilson recently joined forces with the WNBA on a special-edition watch collection, while recent campaigns from Kim Kardashian’s Skims – which currently serves as the official underwear partner of both the NBA and WNBA – spotlighted some of the league’s star players. And although not direct collaborations with the women’s league, accessories brands Lele Sadoughi and Baublebar (both New York-based) recently teamed up with the NBA for licensed jewellery and headband lines aimed at women.

Fashion is also catching on to the cultural influence of these players. Reese recently had a spread in Vogue US, while Clark attended the WNBA draft in a full Prada look – the first time a player has been dressed by the brand for this particular event.

As the commercial focus on women in sports continues, there’s significant opportunity in these spaces, with a decided dedication to solving problems faced by women athletes with performancewear that both aids in the game and drives up hype among new fan demographics. Additionally, as sports fanbases continue to diversify, brands must learn how to play to women, making merch with them in mind and embracing the influential star power behind popular women athletes.