Caitlin Clark’s boyfriend appears to throw shade at Nike amid signature shoe fumble

Caitlin Clark’s boyfriend, Connor McCaffery, may have been throwing shade at Nike because they are yet to release a signature shoe for Clark. Instagram account mambakixx posted photographs of Alex Caruso wearing Caitlin Clark’s player-exclusive Nike Kobe 5s in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

McCaffery stumbled upon the post and left a comment under it, seemingly calling the brand out:

“Where are mine at @nike.”

Connor McCaffery seemingly throws shade at Nike

Caitlin Clark finalized an eight-year, $28 million contract with Nike in April 2024. As per the deal, Clark will also receive a signature shoe and logo. But she is well into her second year in the league, and her signature shoe is nowhere to be found.

Instead, the Indiana Fever star has only received a player exclusive of Nike’s Kobe Bryant series. This isn’t the first time that McCaffery has thrown shade at Nike for their treatment of Clark. In May, fans were going after the company for not posting any promotional material ahead of the Fever star’s preseason debut.

McCaffery also got involved by resharing a fan’s post on X:

Connor McCaffery throwing shade at Nike in May

Clark is easily one of the biggest draws in basketball. So, for Nike to be so lax with her signature shoe is unusual. However, it could be that Nike is being extra careful, as the company's CEO revealed in January that a signature shoe and logo for the 2024 Rookie of the Year is currently in the works.

Caitlin Clark to return vs. the New York Liberty following two-week injury absence

Caitlin Clark is finally set to return against the New York Liberty on Saturday. Clark has been missing from the lineup since the end of May due to a quadriceps strain. Despite her absence, the Fever have hung on and are 4-5 this season. Interestingly enough, her last game was also against the Liberty.

The Fever lost that game, 90-88. Clark had a rare off night, recording 18 points, 10 assists and five rebounds. She also had 10 turnovers and shot 6-for-18 from the field.

She is recording 19.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 9.3 assists this season. Clark will surely be aiming to perform better than she did in her last meeting against the reigning champs. The Fever will take on the Liberty on Saturday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

About the author

Sameer is an esports and gaming journalist at Sportskeeda who covers a diverse range of topics. He is currently pursuing a BSc degree from BITS, but his love for video games pushed him to pursue a gaming journalism career. He relies on diligent research and fact-checking to deliver top-notch content. He has previously worked in the hospitality sector with the Oberoi Group.

Sameer’s gaming journey began with Rockstar Games’ GTA franchise, specifically
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. He strongly prefers multiplayer games, with FPS being his favorite genre, and has devoted 6K+ hours to CS:GO! However, he also dabbles in open-world, story-based games from time to time. Solo RPGs like Horizon Forbidden West hold a soft spot in his heart, and he would readily drop in it given a Jumanji-type scenario.

Sameer makes sure to follow Counter-Strike and Valorant esports tournaments, as he believes that watching a game being played at the highest level can be highly educational. He derives inspiration from Tarik's meteoric rise to become one of the biggest FPS streamers in the world following the release of Valorant.

Outside of work, you can find Sameer playing football or cheering for FC Barcelona. He also likes to read and write poetry.

Know More

Edited by Nadim El Kak