We’re living in a special moment for women’s basketball. Both the college game and the WNBA have been gaining unprecedented popularity — with some games even surpassing NBA matchups in viewership. Along with this growth, we’ve reached the end of nearly 20 years without a player having her own consistent signature shoe line. Today, the biggest stars in the game have their own signature models — some already on their third or fourth edition — with contracts with major brands and even deals with independent brands as well.
But this is a very recent shift. For years, we saw several NBA players receive their own shoes — sometimes before even establishing a name in the league — while women, even after breaking records and winning multiple titles, rarely got more than exclusive colorways, if that.
In the late 1990s, with the launch of the WNBA, the first women’s signature basketball shoe debuted: the Nike Air Swoopes, created for Sheryl Swoopes, the first woman to have her own line. A few others released one or two models afterward, but none matched Swoopes’ success or longevity — she had seven models with Nike.
In 2010, Candace Parker released two signature shoes with adidas, but throughout her career, she mostly received special editions or Player Exclusives (PEs) under her ACE label — which, in her words, means: “It’s not a king or a queen. An Ace has no gender. It’s about the person — the human being.”
Diana Taurasi, another Hall of Famer, also only had her name appear on special editions, like the Nike Shox DT and Nike Air Taurasi.
It’s important to highlight the difference between a true signature line and exclusive colorways. A signature line involves deep collaboration with the athlete — studying their needs, developing dedicated campaigns, and evolving the design with each model. Exclusive versions, on the other hand, use existing silhouettes customized with new colors or logos but without creating an original design for the player.
That second approach dominated the last 20 years. But now, we’re seeing athletes leading their own product lines — within major brands and through independent collaborations — with multiple signature models and even apparel collections.
The big brands have finally caught up. Puma led the way with Breanna Stewart’s line, followed by Nike’s models for Elena Delle Donne, Sabrina Ionescu, and A’ja Wilson, with Caitlin Clark next in line. Reebok made Angel Reese the face of its basketball comeback, launching the Engine A, followed by her own silhouette, the Angel 1 — which sold out in every colorway across the U.S. Other brands have taken a quieter route, developing unisex models designed with input from women athletes — like Jordan’s Heir Series and adidas’ Exhibit Select 2.0 PRO, created by an all-women design team, for women.
Sabrina Ionescu
Born in California to Romanian immigrant parents, Sabrina Ionescu rose to stardom at the University of Oregon and became the first overall pick in the 2020 WNBA Draft by the New York Liberty. Despite an injury-plagued start, she quickly established herself as one of the league’s top players.
At Oregon, she became the first player — male or female — in NCAA history to record over 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, and 1,000 assists, while also achieving 26 career triple-doubles. Her impact brought unprecedented visibility to women’s basketball, filling arenas and even doubling the audience of the university’s men’s games.
Known for her court vision, leadership, and deadly three-point shot, Sabrina has broken multiple records in just five WNBA seasons. She became the first player to surpass 500 points, 200 rebounds, and 200 assists in a single season, and was a key piece in the New York Liberty’s first-ever championship in 2024. That same year, she also won Olympic gold with Team USA in Paris.
The Shoes
During her college years and early WNBA seasons, Sabrina wore Kobe Bryant’s shoes, later becoming the face of Nike’s GT Cut line — known for its low, fast, and stable performance models. Beyond functionality, the connection went deeper: Kobe was both a mentor and friend, and their shared competitive mindset carried into her work. With her Oregon ties (the same university as Nike founder Phil Knight) and relationship with the Bryant family, her partnership with Nike was a natural fit — despite Stephen Curry’s attempts to recruit her to Under Armour.
The key to the Sabrina line is consistency. While each model introduces refinements, they all retain the same core feel and identity, creating a loyal following and anticipation for every new release. Her shoes are worn not only across the WNBA but also in the NBA — and were the second most-worn model in the men’s league last season.
Nike Sabrina 1The launch of the Sabrina 1 marked the end of a long wait — it was the first true signature line by a female athlete at Nike in years. Sabrina’s goal was clear: to create a model for everyone, with no gender, size, or position barriers. Nike described it as the brand’s first unisex signature collection.
Designed by Ben Nethongkome — known for creating shoes for Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, Ja Morant, Devin Booker, and others — the Sabrina 1 is the definition of a well-executed, minimalist basketball shoe. It combines Nike React foam for cushioning and responsiveness with a Zoom Air unit in the forefoot for energy return. The design borrows elements from Kobe’s line, with a wider forefoot, lateral support, and low-cut freedom of movement.
Sabrina was deeply involved in the process, adding details inspired by her Romanian heritage — seen in the embroidered patterns and textures — and subtle design nods to her name, like the lowercase “i” integrated into the sole, heel, and upper.
Nike Sabrina 2The Sabrina 2 introduced small but significant improvements. It’s lighter, slightly wider, and replaces React foam with dual-density Cushlon 3.0, a softer yet more stable compound. The Zoom Air forefoot unit remains, while a nylon mesh upper improves breathability and allows new embroidered textures.
Despite its flexibility, the model adds a stability plate and lateral cables to secure the foot. Its design echoes the Kobe 5, while its colorways tell personal stories: the “Slurpee” edition honors her brother with vibrant 7-Eleven drink colors; the green and yellow nod to Oregon; and the red/navy pair commemorates the Paris Olympics.
Nike Sabrina 3The latest model keeps the low, agile, and stable DNA but introduces new solutions for players who change direction frequently. The embroidered gradient across the midfoot to heel gives a fresh visual identity, while a ripstop overlay acts as a semi-transparent curtain over the shoe’s support cables.
The midsole combines injected Phylon wrapping around Cushlon 3.0, offering stability and durability without sacrificing softness. The Sabrina 3 clearly shows the evolution of the line — maintaining Kobe-inspired elements (notably from the 5, 6, and 11) while fully developing designer Ben Nethongkome’s own visual and performance identity.
