WNBA Star, Who Gets $560 a Day, Humbles Michael Jordan’s Billion Dollar Empire

Jordans have long been synonymous with blockbuster sales, a legendary reputation, and the GOAT himself, Michael Jordan. Earlier this year, the brand contributed $7 billion in revenue to Nike, building on to the unmatched legacy. But now, a fresh face is stepping onto the scene — and she’s doing it from a different court—literally.

According to a recent post by Nick DePaula, a journalist in the athletic footwear industry, Sabrina Ionescu’s Nike Sabrina 2 is the most-worn new basketball shoe across the NBA this season. Worn for a total of 7,867 minutes on the court, the Sabrina 2 trails only the iconic Nike Kobe 6, which has amassed 15,091 minutes. While Air Jordan 39 made it to the top 10 list, it could only position 6th, with 5,508 minutes.

This unprecedented crossover of a WNBA signature shoe into the NBA underscores Sabrina Ionescu’s growing influence both as an athlete and a cultural icon.

December 6 marked Ionescu’s 27th birthday, and 2024 has been nothing short of a career-defining year for the New York Liberty star. On the court, she helped secure the Liberty’s first-ever WNBA championship, sealing the victory with a buzzer-beater in Game 3 against the Minnesota Lynx—a play that will forever be etched in league history. Off the court, her Nike signature line has soared, with the brand revealing that revenue from her shoes has grown “roughly five times” in the past year.

Sabrina, who earns around $560 per day, going by her WNBA salary of 205,030, has joined the ranks of her mentor Kobe by having her shoes become a huge success in both the WNBA and NBA. Her first pair, the Sabrina 1’s, was a hit on the court, and their success only paved the way for the growing popularity of the Sabrina 2.

Ionescu’s sneakers aren’t just footwear; they represent a movement. Jrue Holiday, an NBA All-Star, was the first player to wear her first signature line of Sabrina 1’s on the court. Reflecting on this, Ionescu shared: “I don’t even think I watched the game. I was really just watching his feet.” Holiday has since become the most frequent from the NBA to wear of her shoes, praising their performance and jokingly attributing his improved shooting percentage to them.

The Sabrina 1 has become a league-wide favorite, with 77 NBA players lacing them up during the 2023-24 season according to kixstats.com. Tyrese Haliburton, who wore a vibrant custom colorway during a standout game against the Atlanta Hawks, commented, “I don’t remember the last time a woman’s shoe has been popping the way this has.”

Sabrina Ionescu wants to redefine boundaries through footwear

Ionescu’s approach to designing her signature shoes was deeply intentional. “Not a women’s basketball shoe or a men’s basketball shoe, but just basketball,” she explained. Her sneakers, blending inspiration from her mentor Kobe Bryant’s line with her unique design elements, aims to transcend gender boundaries.

Players have embraced this ethos wholeheartedly. Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson described them as “super comfortable” and reminiscent of the old Kobe line, while rookie Dereck Lively II said they feel like a modern evolution of an old classic.

Unlike her earlier collaboration with Nike, where much of her input was shared over Zoom, Ionescu took a more hands-on approach this time. She engaged in real-time discussions, providing direct feedback that shaped every detail of the design. This collaborative process ensured that the Sabrina 2 delivered both on performance and personal touches.

The success of the Sabrina 1 set a high benchmark. It crossed international borders, making waves in NCAA tournaments and even the EuroLeague, where Nigel Hayes-Davis wore them while setting a scoring record. With the Sabrina 2 already dominating NBA courts, it feels inevitable that its reach will be just as global—if not greater.

Michael Jordan’s Air Jordans revolutionized basketball culture, but Sabrina Ionescu’s sneakers are carving a new path. As her Sabrina 2 continues to dominate NBA courts and redefine the perception of women’s basketball shoes, it’s clear she’s building a legacy of her own—one that humbles even the greatest of empires.