The next chapter in the rivalry between Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers is officially underway. Both five-star recruits, both dominant forces in college hoops, both No. 1 overall picks—there’s just no world where Paige Bueckers isn’t going to be compared to Caitlin Clark at every single turn. While CC basically redefined the sport over the past year, there’s an entire nation expecting Bueckers to do the same.

But, well… before Bueckcers could even suit up in a WNBA jersey, the conversations around favoritism are already off the charts. And this time, it’s not even just about the league or the players. It’s gone all the way to the brands. Both Paige and Caitlin are Nike athletes. Bueckers inked her NIL deal back in September 2023, and Clark signed an eight-year, $28 million endorsement deal in her rookie season. But when it comes to what the fans are seeing, it’s Bueckers who’s showing up on the shelves and Clark is still on a waiting list.

The second Paige was announced as the No. 1 pick, Nike dropped her Dallas Wings jersey and commemorative t-shirts that have the UConn former’s face and No. 1 pick written over it with cool graphics and colours.

Meanwhile, the “Rookie of the Year” t-shirt Nike released for Clark is just a black tee with a bold white ‘Rookie of the Year’ label across the chest and all her achievements written on the back. Clean look, no doubt. But it was….a bit boring. No colours, no nothing, and definitely not as funky as Bueckers’.

This added more fuel to the fact that Clark fans have been begging for CC’s signature shoes (which were a part of the deal) for months. But there’s no official news yet. If you look back, Nike has this long history when it comes to giving WNBA players their own kicks.

Like, back in 1995, Sheryl Swoopes made history with the Air Swoopes—first signature shoe for a female hooper ever. Lisa Leslie, Dawn Staley, and Cynthia Cooper, numerous followed next. In 2023, it was Sabrina Ionescu, whose shoes, by the way, ended up setting records. For 2025, it was A’ja Wilson with her A’One. Now, that’s where the debates arose. Soon after CC’s deal, the Aces icon was announced to be bringing her signature. While that was deserved, Clark’s fans got a little antsy when there was not so much as a hint about the 2024 ROTY’s status.

So, when you put it all together, it’s not hard to see why Clark fans are getting a little heated. It’s not about Paige vs. Caitlin. They’re both generational talents. But fans are questioning Nike here. For a brand that just signed the Fever star to one of the richest deals, this feels confusing. Hence, Clark supporters wasted no time taking it to X (Twitter).

Fans call out Nike for dropping the ball on Caitlin Clark

One said, “nothing wrong with PB getting a cool shirt, seriously,” but then threw in the real issue, “I just do not understand w-f they’re doing with CC 😭😭.” As we already talked about, nobody’s mad Paige got her moment. But when Clark’s been consistently labeled the most marketable women’s athlete, it’s kind of wild how she’s being sidelined. Especially when Nike’s whole narrative lately is about women’s sports. Their “So Win” Super Bowl ad was literally a huge hit.

Another fan chimed in with a roast, calling the ROTY shirt a “Microsoft Word doc a–” design and accusing Nike of not even changing the font from Times New Roman. That’s how lazy it felt. Now to be fair, Nike has done some cool stuff. CC got her own player-edition Kobes, and not just one, but two releases—Kobe 5 PE coming June 1 and Kobe 6 PE dropping October 1. Both exclusive to Fever guard. But still, when you’re putting out shirts like that and giving no real update on her actual shoe, fans can’t help but feel a little cheated.

This frustration isn’t new, though. Remember when Clark fans literally started a “ban Nike” petition? They echoed the same sentiment, “They have dropped the ball so bad with her they deserve for their sales to be down.” Moreover, this isn’t just internet noise. Numbers support this argument. 

Last month, Yahoo Sports reported Nike expects its worst revenue dip in five years, with Q3 sales projected to fall 11.5% to $11.01 billion. Store traffic’s down 11%, app downloads tanked 35% from last year. Clark fans strongly believe this is about Nike missing the biggest marketing opportunity staring them in the face.

One fan even said, “Caitlin deserves a brand that values her much more. I wish she’d signed with Under Armour.” Interestingly, Stephen Curry personally pitched UA’s offer—four years, $16 million plus a signature shoe to Iowa alumna. Adidas even tossed in a $6 million offer with the shoe deal too. But Clark went with Nike, and now, fans are left wondering if that was a mistake.

Then came the comparison. Another added, “It’s pretty obvious they don’t see Clark as a priority,” accusing Nike of sticking to the “status quo” and prioritizing their older stars. Not a shot at Paige, someone said, but she fits that old Nike mold—UConn roots and all. UConn has always been WNBA’s breeding ground. It is widely assumed that Bueckers is getting the glam treatment because of where she comes from.

But keeping all this aside, practically if we look at it, Bueckers did just win an NCAA championship, she just got drafted as the No. 1 pick, and this is her moment. Caitlin Clark is definitely forever in the spotlight, everything she touches turns gold. But the attention around PB is at its peak right now, and maybe Nike just didn’t want to let that slip away. About the shoe, though, let’s just wait and see when the news finally drops!