Calls Mount Against Nike as Caitlin Clark Fans Do Not Entertain Latest Kobe Bryant Shoes

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark has been showing her Mamba mentality long before she made it to the WNBA. She’s been rocking Kobe Bryant’s retro Nike basketball shoes since college, proving her love for the game and his legacy. In 2024, she took things to another level by signing a massive eight-year, $28 million sneaker deal with Nike. It is the biggest ever for a women’s basketball player to date.

While Clark started her WNBA season with general released colorway sneakers until Nike started making custom-colored sneakers for her, she took her sneaker game to the next level by debuting a custom Nike Kobe 5 Protro in a bold “Indiana Fever” colorway.

Most player-exclusive sneakers never make it to stores, but it looks like Nike is making a special exception for the Indiana superstar. According to “allinlivee,” the Kobe 5 Protro “Indiana Fever” is set to release later this year. Clark’s custom kicks perfectly match her team’s colors, featuring a sleek dark navy upper with a bold orange gradient on the heels, tongues, and swoosh logos.

But not everyone is thrilled about Nike’s decision. Fans have taken to social media to voice their frustration. Let’s dive into some of the reactions from fans online.

Caitlin Clark fans fume over the new Kobe Bryant shoe

Since Clark inked her blockbuster deal with Nike last year, fans have been eagerly anticipating her first signature sneaker. But instead of getting a brand-new design, they’re now being offered a player-exclusive colorway. Fans aren’t exactly excited about it. Frustration is mounting, with fans feeling like they’re being pushed toward an older shoe rather than something fresh and unique. And as expected, they didn’t hold back on X.

Fans didn’t hold back their frustration, taking to X to make their voices heard. One fan summed up the sentiment perfectly by saying, “Dropping a player-exclusive shoe just to shut us up for a bit 😂.” Others made it clear what they really wanted, with one tweeting, “Come on. We don’t want Kobes. We want CC1s,” while some kept it simple and direct,  “I want Nike CC1!” ,  “the ppl want her signature shoes not kobes”

These reactions sum up the frustration fans have felt for the past year. They’ve been counting down the days for Clark’s signature sneaker, only to get a player-exclusive colorway instead. To many, it feels like a quick cash grab by Nike, selling a shoe that not everyone wants.

But here’s the catch, Nike knows exactly what they’re doing. Even if fans aren’t thrilled about the release, Clark’s star power is enough to make them buy it anyway. It’s not just about the shoe, it’s about being connected to a superstar. And when it comes to die-hard sports fans, missing out on anything linked to their favorite player just isn’t an option!

One fan had an interesting take on why Nike is doing things this way, and it might just make you see the bigger picture. Taking to X, they shared their thoughts, saying, “The goal was to make CC the face of Kobe until she decided to opt for a signature shoe. That’s why she didn’t really officially promote the Kobe shoe this year, but they were giving her prototypes to play with.”

If this is true, it might shed light on Nike’s strategy. Instead of quickly releasing Caitlin Clark’s own signature sneaker, they’ve been positioning her as the face of the Kobe sneaker line, a move that definitely makes sense for the brand. But there have also been reports suggesting that Clark has spent time at Nike’s headquarters in Oregon, working on her very own signature shoe. This could mean that a new sneaker line is on the way, we just don’t know exactly when!

Fans are clearly disappointed feeling that a player-exclusive colorway isn’t enough to satisfy their hunger for Caitlin Clark’s own signature line. After a year of waiting, they’re eager for Nike to finally drop the CC1s and give the superstar the sneaker she deserves! Stay tuned to know when the sneakers eventually come out!