Caitlin Clark‘s Indiana Fever lost to the Las Vegas Aces Wednesday night for the 14th time in a row, a streak that dates back well before Clark joined the team, but a literal bright spot came in the form of the star rookie’s sneaker.
Clark took to the court in a new Nike Kobe 6 Protro player-exclusive colorway that stood out for its bright yellow hues. While the snakeskin-textured upper is rendered in a black and yellow gradient, the heel and sole unit both pop with a highlighter yellow. For the Swoosh and tongue branding, a more classic shade of yellow was used.
The Nike Kobe line is Clark’s go to during games, as she regularly wears the Kobe 5 Protro and Kobe 6 Protro. She received her first player-exclusive colorway in July with a Kobe 5 Protro featuring a different arrangement of black and yellow. During the WNBA All-Star Game, Clark was also one of the players to wear the Kobe 6 Protro colorway made specifically for the occasion.
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In a press conference during All-Star weekend, Clark said: “I’m a Kobe person, everybody knows that. It’s the best shoe, it’s not even close. I probably like the Kobe 6s the best, which are the ones I have on right now. I like the 5s as well, but the 6s are kind of my thing. Obviously just to wear his shoe, and what Vanessa has done, and what their family has done, and continuing his legacy. Not only within his shoe, but that whole foundation and the Kobe brand is pretty incredible. So I feel very lucky and fortunate to not only represent Nike but also their entire family.”
Nike has yet to give any indication that any of Clark’s player-exclusive Kobe sneakers will get a public release. After signing a reported 8-year, $28 million deal with Nike this year, Clark is widely expected to get her own signature sneaker in the near future.
In the loss, Clark put up 16 points while struggling with just 1 of 10 three point attempts made. For the opposition, fellow Nike athlete A’ja Wilson broke the single-season WNBA scoring record.
About the Author:
Ian Servantes is a Senior News Editor for Footwear News specializing in sneaker coverage. He’s previously reported on streetwear and sneakers at Input and Highsnobiety after beginning his career on the pop culture beat. He subscribes to the idea that “ball is life” and doesn’t fuss over his kicks getting dirty.
