After delivering a hit in March 2023 with the Nike Sabrina 1, the athletic giant is set to release the second signature shoe for WNBA star Sabrina Ionescu.
The Sabrina 2, according to Nike, is built for players “who want to accelerate and cut with quickness.” What’s more, Nike said via statement that its design teams worked closely with Ionescu “to combine the best of the Sabrina 1 with fresh upgrades,” resulting in a shoe that is 28 grams lighter that is predecessor.
Nike designed the Sabrina 2 with softness and stability in mind. The brand equipped the look with plush Cushlon 3.0 foam midsoles, a first for a Nike basketball shoe, which is contained within a firmer Cushlon foam carrier. Also, the shoe has a Nike Zoom Air unit in the forefoot, which the brand said helps provide energy return and responsiveness, as well as an updated band system that wraps around the midfoot for a glove-like fit. Underfoot are rubber outsoles with a new “S”-inspired herringbone pattern for multidirectional traction.
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In terms of aesthetic details, the shoe features an “S” frame that wraps around the upper and is complemented by intricate stitching and embroidery patterns, which Nike said serve as a nod to Ionescu’s initials and number. There are also vertically slanted Swooshes on the shoe’s medial side, which Nike said “strikes through the stitchwork” to resemble “shattered glass from the ceilings Sabrina continues to break.” There is an exposed Swoosh and an “I” underfoot, which Nike said allude both to the hooper’s last name and “the exclamation point she puts on her game.”
Select colorways of the shoe, Nike explained, will feature mirror-finished Swooshes. The brand stated these serve “an affirmation from Sabrina to the next generation to see themselves in the shoe.” They will be available in grade-school sizing.
Aside from the shoe, Nike and Ionescu created lifestyle apparel replete with personal design cues inspired by the baller’s name and background. This includes two T-shirts, a hoodie, a short and a reversible bomber jacket. The pieces, Nike explained, reflects her personal style and features her signature logo, which is an ambigram “that takes on the appearance of a continuous link, honoring family and loyalty.”
Nike also said both her shoe and select apparel will also be available in kids’ sizes for the first time, including a hoodie and short.
The Nike Sabrina 2 signature collection arrives June 28. The shoe will retail for $130 in adult sizing and $100 in kids’ sizing, and the first colorway to drop is the black and tonal purple “Court Vision.”
Although Ionescu’s new shoe is the latest WNBA news from Nike, the brand has been the subject of several headlines as of late with the women basketball players it backs. For instance, Nike announced on May 11 that WNBA champion A’ja Wilson would be its next signature athlete, and her shoe would debut in 2025. Also, reports surfaced in April of an eight year, $28 million deal with Nike for Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark, which would also include a signature shoe. Nike has not confirmed Clark’s reported deal.
About the Author
Peter Verry is the Senior News and Features Editor for Athletic and Outdoor at Footwear News. He oversees coverage of the two fast-paced and ultracompetitive markets, which includes conducting in-depth interviews with industry leaders and writing stories on sneakers and outdoor shoes. He is a lifelong sneaker addict (and shares his newest purchases via @peterverry on Instagram) and spends most of his free time on a trail. He holds an M.A. in journalism from Hofstra University and can be reached at peter.verry@footwearnews.com.
