Caitlin Clark started the 2025 WNBA season lacing up a pair of custom Nike sneakers. The footwear company designed a player-exclusive colorway of the Nike Kobe 5 Protro for Clark for her first game with the Indiana Fever this season, against the Chicago Sky on Saturday.

Aptly named Rookie of the Year, the exclusive colorway was modeled after the WNBA’s ROTY silver trophy and the Clark’s bright red uniform she wore during the photoshoot holding her hardware. The sneaker features a seamless synthetic upper in metallic silver with a vibrant red Swoosh and heel tab, and a heel counter with a mirror-like finish.

Clark was asked about the sneakers during the press conference ahead of the game on Saturday. When a reporter asked if they were a new design, she put her foot up on the table and said, “It is. They’re custom, so you won’t get them.”

“There is a picture that the Fever took after the season, where I had my trophy; I was in my red uniform, so that’s what they’re based off of,” she said about the shoe. “Nike designed them, they did well.”

The WNBA star added that she had been wearing them during practice before the reveal.

Clark played in the Kobe 5 Protro and Kobe 6 Protros throughout her college and professional career. “I’m a Kobe person, everybody knows that. It’s the best shoe, it’s not even close. I probably like the Kobe 6s the best, which are the ones I have on right now. I like the 5s as well, but the 6s are kind of my thing,” she said in a July press conference.

“Obviously just to wear his shoe, and what Vanessa has done, and what their family has done, and continuing his legacy. Not only within his shoe, but that whole foundation and the Kobe brand is pretty incredible. So I feel very lucky and fortunate to not only represent Nike but also their entire family.”

Clark has two confirmed Nike Kobe PEs set to release later this year, strengthening her role with the shoe brand. The basketball star, who has been signed to Nike since 2022, is expected to have a signature shoe in 2026, which is reportedly already in the design process.

Clark signed with Nike just ahead of her junior season, becoming one of the brand’s first NIL basketball players along with Bronny James, Haley Jones, DJ Wagner and Juju Watkins. In a press release announcing the deal, she said: “I grew up watching Nike athletes across all sports play their game. They have inspired me to work hard and make a difference. I’m humbled to be part of this first Nike basketball class and passionate about inspiring the next.”

The Fever guard beat out Sky forward Angel Reese to win the WNBA Rookie of the Year award last year and tensions seem to rise between them at the game this weekend. Clark and Reese had a heated exchange on the court in the second half. The play involved Clark committing a foul to prevent Reese from scoring after an offensive rebound, which knocked the Sky player on the floor. Their teammates stepped in to separate the two players, and Reese could be heard saying, “What is wrong with you?” The exchange resulted in Clark receiving a flagrant foul for hard contact on her opponent.