There was an abundance of sneaker endorsement deals signed in 2024.
Some of the year’s most talked-about deals involved the biggest and brightest WNBA stars, such as A’ja Wilson, Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark. However, deals for NBA players (Anthony Edwards), NFL standouts (Micah Parsons), and soccer stars both current and retired (Theo Hernández, Ruud Gullit) also got people talking. And you can’t forget about the world of entertainment, most notably On linking up with Zendaya.
Below, in no order, are 27 of the most talked-about sneaker endorsement deals of 2024.
To much fanfare, Nike announced A’ja Wilson — who graced one of FN’s covers in 2024 — as its next signature athlete in May. Nike’s announcement included the launch of a website, Ofcourseihaveashoe.com, and the name of her first-ever signature shoe: A’One. The Swoosh also confirmed Wilson’s signature collection will include selections in women’s, men’s and kids’ sizing, and it will be released globally via Nike.com, the Snkrs app and at select retailers in 2025.
Angel Reese — the FNAA Style Influencer of the Year for 2024 — and Reebok had an exceptional year. In addition to the release of her first-ever collection with the brand, dubbed Reebok by Angel, the WNBA star also helped the athletic company get back into the basketball shoe conversation by debuting the Engine A, its first performance model since the early 2010s. So Reebok’s decision to extend the relationship seemed only right. In October, Reebok announced the multiyear contract extension, as well as its plans to release her first-ever signature sneaker in 2026.
USC basketball star JuJu Watkins reportedly signed a multiyear contract extension with Nike in October. With this extension, which was first reported via X (formerly Twitter) by ESPN senior NBA insider Shams Charania, Watkins has one of the richest shoe endorsement deals in women’s basketball. Nike added Watkins to its ambassador roster in October 2022 alongside several other high school and college student athletes, including Bronny James, Caitlin Clark, Haley Jones and DJ Wagner.
Coming off of the success of his AE 1 signature sneaker, Anthony Edwards and Adidas agreed to a multiyear extension of their partnership in June. While terms of the deal weren’t disclosed, a representative for Adidas told FN in the new deal is a “significant multi-year contract extension.” Aside from Edwards’ signature line, Adidas will reinforce its commitment to the Team USA and Minnesota Timberwolves star’s “Don’t Follow the Wave” initiative, which provides resources and opportunities to underserved youth in local communities.
New Balance added yet another rising basketball to its ambassador roster in August: Cooper Flagg. As part of his name, image and likeness (NIL) deal with New Balance, Flagg — who plays college basketball for Duke University — will appear in its basketball marketing campaigns and work with the brand across lifestyle extensions and community initiatives, specifically programs that give back to young athletes.
Heisman winner Travis Hunter is team Three Stripes. In December, Adidas announced it has signed the college football superstar. With the deal, the athletic giant stated Hunter, a standout at the University of Colorado, will represent Adidas both on and off the field and participate in its marketing campaigns. What’s more, Adidas launched a limited-edition apparel collection, available via Adidas.com/us/travis_hunter.
Although Nike was sparse on details, The Wall Street Journal reported in May that the Swoosh’s new deal for WNBA star Caitlin Clark was worth up to $28 million over eight years. A month earlier, Shams Charania — then the senior lead NBA insider for The Athletic and Stadium — reported via X (Twitter) that Clark’s deal would also include her own signature shoe. And in early December, Sportico released its Highest-Paid Female Athletes 2024 list, which stated Clark’s most most valuable endorsement deal was Nike.
Jordan Brand added Bella Hines, a promising young basketball star, to its athlete roster in November. Hines is a 5-star recruit Albuquerque, N.M., and has committed to play college basketball at LSU in 2025. “Where I’m from, not a lot of people have this opportunity, so I feel like I bring hunger and grind. I feel like I bring a different type of spice to Jordan,” Hines told FN.
Puma bolstered its athlete roster in 2024 by adding soccer star Theo Hernández. The German athletic giant announced in May that it has added the AC Milan star, who also plays for the French national team. Puma said Hernández will wear its Ultra soccer boots on the pitch, which is also worn by other brand ambassadors including Memphis Depay, Kingsley Coman and others.
Skechers bolstered its ambassador roster in August by signing Ruud Gullit, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest soccer players of all time. Gullit, the captain of the Netherlands National Team that won the UEFA European Championship in 1988, is the brand’s first ambassador in Benelux. In a statement, Skechers said Gullit would be featured in its multiplatform marketing efforts for its footwear and apparel, including Hands Free Slip-ins, which was his first campaign.
Merrell bolstered its athlete roster in January by signing ultrarunner Coree Woltering. The Wolverine Worldwide-owned outdoor brand announced that it has signed Woltering as an athlete in 2024. Woltering joins a stacked roster of runners who signed for 2024, including Sara Aranda, Morgan Elliott and Mercedes Siegle-Gaither, winners of Merrell’s fastest known time (FKT) athlete search competition in September 2023.
Nike announced in May that it had signed boxer Cindy Ngamba, a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Refugee Olympic Team who competed in the Paris Games. Ngamba, who left Cameroon at 11 years old, lives and trains in the United Kingdom. She is a three-time English national champion, and according to the IOC, Ngamba was the first refugee boxer to qualify for the Olympic Games.
Kyrie Irving’s father, Drederick Irving, has been by his son’s side for the most profound moments of his NBA career. And in June, the Dallas Mavericks guard shined the spotlight on his dad like never before. Reports surfaced in June that Kyrie Irving has signed Drederick Irving to an endorsement deal and is the first signature athlete for his Anta shoe line. The news was first reported on Twitter (X) by Shams Charania, senior lead NBA insider for The Athletic and Stadium.
A few months before the start of the 2024 NFL season, Adidas bolstered its athlete roster in May by signing Dallas Cowboys star Micah Parsons to a multiyear partnership. Adidas said via statement that Parsons would wear select apparel and specialty footwear on the field from the brand, and also participate in its marketing campaigns.
Ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft in April, New Balance added wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. to its loaded roster of athletes. New Balance and Harrison Jr. also revealed the brand’s first football cleats at the draft. In a statement, New Balance said Harrison Jr. will “play an integral role in the evolution” of its inaugural football cleat collection.
After months of reports and talk on social media, NBA star Joel Embiid reportedly became a Skechers athlete in April. Nick DePaula of ESPN and Boardroom via Twitter that Embiid’s deal with his former brand home, Under Armour, expired in October 2023.
Trae Young , who was an Adidas signature athlete, opened the Atlanta Hawks’ season in October wearing the Air Jordan 39. The next month, Jordan Brand posted “The air just got colder” to its social media channels welcoming the hooper to the Jordan Fam.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander signed a contract extension with Converse in April that will see him get his first signature sneaker in 2025 and be named the creative director the brand’s basketball division, according to a report from Boardroom. Apparel will also release alongside his shoe next year.
For much of his young NFL career, Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud has laced up Jordan cleats on the field. And in September, the namesake label of NBA icon Michael Jordan announced via social media that he was part of the Jordan family. Although Stroud joining the Jordan family was announced, terms of the deal have not been stated.
The Athlete’s Foot announced in April that it had entered into a name, image, and likeness (NIL) partnership with LSU Tigers star Flau’jae Johnson. The guard was tapped as a brand ambassador for the retailer, and Johnson appeared in a series of brand initiatives, community engagements and content creation endeavors throughout the year.
Curry Brand announced in March that it had signed college basketball star MiLaysia Fulwiley to a name, image and likeness (NIL) deal. Under Armour, the company that backs Curry Brand, announced the multiyear NIL partnership. Fulwiley, a guard for the University of South Carolina, is the first collegiate athlete to sign with Curry Brand from an Under Armour-backed school.
Holo Footwear entered basketball in December 2023 when it signed Isaac Okoro of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Aside from a signature shoe line, the NBA player also received ownership stake in the company. With pay equity and signature shoes at the center of WNBA conversations, the brand — founded by industry veterans Yuri and Rommel Vega — signed Jacy Sheldon of the Dallas Wings to the same deal in August.
Adidas signed girls’ high school basketball phenom Kaleena Smith to a name, image and likeness (NIL) deal in November. The hooper is the first signing with WNBA icon Candace Parker as the president of Adidas Women’s Basketball. Adidas confirmed Smith will represent the brand on court during all her games, including those with Ontario Christian High School. Also, Adidas stated it is sponsoring her high school team, and the athlete’s AAU team will join the 3SSB Circuit as part of the partnership.
On added Zendaya to its roster of brand partners in June, announcing at the time that it had signed the star to a multiyear deal. With the deal, the Emmy and Golden Globe winning actor will contribute to select collections, products and creative campaigns with On that center on movement and storytelling.
Alexis Morris became the “First Lady of And1” in May. With a goal of reaching “the explosive women’s basketball scene,” And1 — the brand known for its streetball tournament from the 1990s and its popular “Mixtape Tour” — announced that it has signed Morris as its first woman ambassador. She currently plays for the Harlem Globetrotters and won a NCAA women’s college basketball championship in 2023 with LSU.
Reebok added Nate Ament to its roster in October, the first-ever high school basketball athlete that Reebok has signed to a name, image and likeness (NIL) deal. With this multiyear partnership, Reebok stated Ament would support brand activations and help bring awareness to its performance and lifestyle product offerings. This includes Reebok’s newest court-ready basketball shoe, the Engine A.
Skechers entered the basketball category last year in a major way, announcing the additions of Julius Randle of the New York Knicks and Terance Mann of the Los Angeles Clippers in October to its athlete roster. And in July, it has its first WNBA brand ambassador: Rickea Jackson of the Los Angeles Sparks.
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.
