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The 2026 WNBA regular season does not tip off for months, but that does not stop the league’s most followed players from grabbing headlines. On Thursday, Indiana Fever teammates Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham exchanged friendly fire on social media over sneakers.
On Thursday, Cunningham posted a picture of herself wearing the adidas Adistar Control 5 sneakers in the “Core Black / Grey One / Off White” colorway. Cunningham captioned the post, “These are legit everyone’s favorite shoes!”
Caitlin Clark trolling Sophie Cunningham’s adidas shoes, but Sophie has the best retort. ‘You be better treated at Adidas! ‘ Nice Nike slam!! 😆 pic.twitter.com/aTfvLnMrMs
— CCFC-off season (@sohali2012) February 5, 2026
Clark commented on the post, “I promise you they aren’t my favorite.” Cunningham playfully replied, “and I promise you we get better treated at adidas 🤭.” Meanwhile, Fever forward and adidas athlete Aliyah Boston posted, “I’m obsessed with these shoes 🤩🤩.”
There is no ill will between the teammates, but Cunningham did hit a sore spot for Clark. Many fans and media personalities have said Nike has mishandled the generational talent, taking far too long to launch her first signature sneaker.
Not a crumb left on the court. 🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪
Kobe 6 Protro PE for @CaitlinClark22. pic.twitter.com/jkI1cW25kl
— Nike Basketball (@nikebasketball) July 13, 2025
Just before the start of her WNBA career, Clark signed a historic signature sneaker deal with Nike. Clark and Nike agreed to an eight-year, $28 million signature sneaker deal, which was the largest sponsorship contract for a women’s basketball player.
Clark is now entering her third NBA season and has yet to debut her first basketball shoe. However, Nike did unveil Clark’s signature logo in August 2025. Shortly after, the brand followed up with Clark’s apparel line and launched her “From Anywhere” campaign on Christmas Day 2025.
Caitlin Clark is proof that you can make it From Anywhere. pic.twitter.com/cFbxO5lOu3
— Nike Basketball (@nikebasketball) December 25, 2025
Additionally, Clark has dropped hints about her upcoming shoe on the New Heights podcast. Clark explained how Kobe Bryant’s retro basketball shoes inspired her upcoming shoe. Even better, fans can expect never-before-seen performance technology.
Clark has been the unofficial torchbearer of the Nike Kobe line through her first two NBA seasons, with Nike dropping two of her player-exclusive colorways. While that is a huge honor, fans are eager to see what Clark’s debut hoop shoe brings to the footwear industry.
Back like it never left! The Nike Kobe V Protro ‘Caitlin Clark PE’ is now available at select stores. Check our IG stories for the store list! pic.twitter.com/cqUJV9Le4z
— Foot Locker (@footlocker) February 2, 2026
Nike has not yet shared any pictures, pricing, or an official launch date. We do know that Clark will debut the shoes during the 2026 WNBA season, and they will launch at some point this year.
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