There have only ever been 12 players with their own signature shoes bearing their name. With the WNBA finished with its 27th season, that is roughly .44 shoe deals per season.
The first shoe deal in WNBA history was the Nike Air Swoopes in 1995, named after legendary player Sheryl Swoopes. In 2021, New York Liberty’s Breanna Stewart signed a deal with Puma and was the 10th player in WNBA history to have a signature shoe.
“Hopefully, Puma and I will set the standard and the bar for many more WNBA players deserving a signature shoe,” said Stewart.
Since then, Washington Mystic’s Elena Delle Donne and New York Liberty’s Sabrina Ionescu have had shoe deals. However, Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. is looking to change that.
“You have guys wearing women’s shoes, and it’s usually the other way around,” Porter told Boardroom. “We want to bring more awareness to the WNBA and give those women the flowers that they deserve. I just think it’s cool for me to be able to represent that.”
Porter recently signed a shoe deal extension with Puma, and he wants to continue to push the brand forward along with shining a spotlight on the players of the WNBA.
A real one ☝️ https://t.co/Qiwe2HL7yj
— WNBA (@WNBA) January 18, 2024
“I’ve always admired Stewie’s game since back at UConn,” Porter said. “She’s broken tons of records, and ever since her rookie year in the WNBA, she’s done some amazing things. She’s always been a hooper to me.”
He sports Stewart’s signature shoes, the Puma Stewie 2s, on the court and continues to do what he can to support his fellow ballers.
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