Shortly after being drafted No. 1 overall in the 2020 WNBA Draft by the New York Liberty, Sabrina Ionescu signed an exclusive multi-year endorsement deal with Nike. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, however, the former Oregon Ducks star decided to stick with the brand as competition was fierce.
In an interview with the Oregonian’s John Canzano on the The Bald Faced Truth podcast, the NCAA’s triple-double record holder said she was weighing offers from Nike, Under Armour and Puma:
“I’ve been going between Nike, Under Armour and Puma. Obviously I have a good relationship with Steph (Curry) and so hearing what he has to offer and the opportunity I could take that way. And having a relationship with Phil Knight and being a Nike athlete for the last 10 years of my basketball career is also appealing. I’m just trying to weigh out all my options and seeing what the best opportunity for me will be.”
Following the announcement, The Athletic’s Bill Shea revealed via Twitter that Ionescu’s agent, Bill Duffy, CEO OF BDA Sports, confirmed the deal includes a signature shoe. There are currently no WNBA players with a signature shoe, substantiating the standout point guard’s seemingly limitless marketing potential.
It’s safe to say there will be many more endorsement deals to come. On Friday, Ionescu also announced on her personal Instagram a marketing deal with Beats By Dre.