Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark, the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s WNBA Draft, inked a groundbreaking multi-year partnership with Wilson. The historic deal, announced Tuesday, marks a significant milestone not only for Clark but also for the sports equipment company, as it is the first collaboration of this kind since Michael Jordan’s partnership with Wilson in the 1980s.

Clark joins Wilson as an ambassador, a role that will see her influence the design and development of a new signature basketball collection. The collaboration aims to celebrate Clark’s impressive impact on the game at just 22 years old.

Wilson, a century-old company, resumed its role as the official ball of the WNBA in 2021. Clark’s connection with Wilson products dates back to her childhood, playing basketball in her driveway with a Wilson ball, which her father had customized to resemble a full court.

“I loved that thing more than anything. My brothers and I would always fight over it,” Clark said, as reported by Vinciane Ngomsi of Boardroom. “That was the best basketball. But I’m just super excited to have a collaboration and create basketballs together that are really cool.”

As part of her ambassador role, Clark will also provide feedback on various basketball gear. The first product drop, available on Wilson’s website, will feature a classic white and gold WNBA basketball with personalized engravings celebrating some of Clark’s historic moments, such as her logo triple that helped her break the all-time NCAA scoring record.

“I think it is super special, and it’s been fun for me,” Clark said. “I feel like I was just that young kid who had those basketballs that I would store in the garage. I’m just very lucky and fortunate to partner with Wilson to create something that everyone can enjoy.”

Caitlin Clark says WNBA transition has been ‘smooth’

Since joining the WNBA, Clark’s life has become increasingly busy. Alongside her demanding schedule, she has made appearances at Indiana Pacers playoff games and promoted her new ESPN+ docuseries. Despite the hectic pace, she appreciates the focus on basketball and the supportive environment with the Fever.

“Indiana is still a place that doesn’t feel too big, so I feel like the transition for me has been actually pretty easy and pretty smooth,” Clark said. “This organization really values women’s basketball. So, coming in here and having the resources and facilities, things are only going to get better as this league continues to grow.”

Clark also noted the Fever’s efforts to increase game accessibility for fans. This season, 12 television markets will air 17 of Indiana’s games for free, expanding coverage across Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Iowa and Kentucky. For the Fever’s opener against the Connecticut Sun, the game was broadcast on Disney+, ESPN+ and ESPN2, breaking the record for the most watched WNBA game in 23 years.

Looking ahead, Clark hopes to represent Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The roster has yet to be announced. s

“It’s kind of crazy to think about people watching you play in Europe or wherever, but people certainly want to watch from everywhere. It’s not just here in the United States,” Clark said. “They want to watch all over the world. Continuing to make that accessible for all, I think it’s going to be really important and really just continue to help our league grow.”