Norwegian Erling Haaland has signed with Nike, ushering in the next phase of Nike football.
He joins athletes like Kylian Mbappé, Alexia Putellas, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ada Hegerberg, Marcus Rashford, Leah Williamson, Kevin De Bruyne, Megan Rapinoe, and Sam Kerr on Nike’s incredible roster.
Haaland’s unprecedented rise through European Club football, complete with a staggering pace of record-breaking goal-scoring, cements his stamp on the future of the game.
Since debuting for his hometown club, Bryne, in Norway, Haaland has progressed through league play in Austria, Germany, and England, proving himself a force of nature by becoming the youngest player (at 22 years and 236 days) to score 30 goals in Europe’s premier club competition.
He’s on pace to break season goal-scoring records for his current club and the Premier League.
Haaland’s commitment to holistic fitness — honored in his famed celebrations — boost his strengths on the pitch: goal-scoring instinct, power, positioning, pace, and precision.
As the biggest champion for athletes and sport, Nike is proud to introduce Sabrina Ionescu as its newest signature athlete, delivering on its commitment to serve the next generation of hoopers and move the game forward both on and off the court.
“Ionescu is the first women’s basketball player to deliver a unisex signature collection with NIKE, Inc.,” said Kerry Sobol, VP of Global Women’s Team and Organized Sports. “We are thrilled she will lead the charge with us and continue to change the scope of the game for future generations.”
Ionescu played an active role in creating her signature collection to serve all who love the game. She joins the growing team of women who have partnered with Nike to develop signature collections with deeper meaning, including Serena Williams, Megan Rapinoeand Naomi Osaka.
The Sabrina 1 is made to serve players like Ionescu who want to accelerate and cut with quickness on both sides of the floor and still feel fresh in the fourth quarter. To accomplish this, Nike designers focused on increasing comfort and support while keeping the shoe lightweight.
The shoe features full-length Nike React cushioning and a top-loaded Nike Zoom Air unit in the forefoot. This combination provides energy return and responsiveness, while a stabilizing shank in the midfoot helps players stay balanced. A midfoot band system and lockdown cables help the foot stay secure over the footbed.
The “S” of Sabrina’s logo appears on the heel of her shoe and across her apparel line.
“Ionic” not only plays on lonescu’s last name, it also represents the energy and electricity she brings to both the court and her community.
Inspired by Ionescu’s national heritage, the intricate embroidery patterns on the Sabrina 1 forefoot and eye stays pay homage to traditional Romanian art and architecture. The shoe’s design is highlighted by a dotted “i” that wraps around the top and bottom outsole of the shoe. The wraparound detail ends in a dotted “i” on the heel — a detail that pays respect to her last name. On the medial side of the shoe, a vertically slanted Swoosh represents the barriers that Ionescu has broken throughout her career, and a hidden “Anyone, Anywhere” quote serves as a reference to Ionescu’s unmatched competitive spirit as well as her belief that dreamers can come from anywhere.
With a focus on gender-neutral performance and lifestyle pieces, Ionescu’s first signature apparel collection launches in adult sizing and includes a hoodie, tees, shorts, and a cross-body bag. A special innovation comes through in one of the most important pieces of equipment for basketball players: game socks.
The Nike Unicorn sock is the first Nike sock to use Dri-FIT ADV materials, a technology seen in Nike’s most advanced apparel collections. Made with at least 80 percent recycled materials, the sock is designed to provide cushioning, compression, traction, and Achilles support for explosive movements.
The Sabrina 1 and signature apparel collection released later this summer on nike.com and at select retailers.
As the biggest champion of the sport, Nike Basketball is excited to introduce the newest star to its signature roster: Ja Morant.
Morant is Nike Basketball’s first Gen Z signature athlete. His bold, fearless style of play represents the evolution of the game and ignites a spark in modern basketball culture. Morant sets an example for Gen Z athletes everywhere as a leader who creates the future of the sport through his creativity, authenticity, and style.
“NIKE, Inc. is honored to partner with Ja Morant to serve the future of athletes and sport,” says Scott Munson, Nike Vice President of Global Men’s Basketball. “Morant, Nike Basketball’s first Gen Z signature athlete, is a revolutionary player who quickly became a global star with his unmatched athleticism and exciting style of play. His authentic personality, deep love for his community and family, and joy for the game make him very special — on and off the court. We are thrilled to add Morant to our signature roster and can’t wait for everyone to learn more about his first shoe, the Nike Ja 1.”
Morant’s signature logo got inspired by his dynamic precision and determined approach to the game. The logo features a stylized “JA” sitting above a chevron, which represents a directional nod to the verticality, speed, and sharpness of Morant’s game and his ability to rise above all obstacles. When Morant was overlooked and under-recruited in college, his motto, “Beneath No One,” fueled the workouts that helped develop him into a player that is defining the future of basketball.
On Christmas, Morant debuted first signature shoe, the Nike Ja 1. It’s constructed to keep players in control, maximize hang time, and reduce landing force through lockdown benefits. More details about the shoe will be announced in early 2023.
Nike is excited to announce the newest student-athletes to join its family: Caitlin Clark, Bronny James, Haley Jones, DJ Wagner, and JuJu Watkins.
At Nike, basketball is more than just a game. It’s a culture and an opportunity to break barriers, bring people together, build community and shape the future — helping people, including kids, achieve their potential.
To serve the future of athletes and sport, Nike is teaming up with inspiring young athletes who are leading the way now — both on the court and in their communities. Just as we support them in pursuing their goals, they push us to think even bigger about the change we can create together.
Caitlin Clark, a junior point guard at the University of Iowa, is a consensus first-team All-American, Big Ten Player of the Year, and Naismith Trophy finalist.
Caitlin has earned Wooden Award All-America, first-team AP All-America, USBWA All-America, WBCA All-America, and All-Region accolades. She was named the Nancy Liberman point guard of the year and holds Big Ten Academic honors. She’s the first student-athlete to win the Dawn Staley Guard of the Year Award two years in a row.
She is the only Division 1 women’s basketball player to lead the country in both assists per game and points per game in a single season.
Caitlin is the first player in Division 1 history, women’s or men’s, to have back-to-back 30-point triple-doubles.
Caitlin wants to inspire young athletes to dream big on the court and in their communities. She will continue to elevate the future of women’s sports as part of her partnership with Nike.
Bronny James, a senior point guard from Los Angeles and the eldest son of LeBron James, is a standout player who’s charting his path forward.
As a high school freshman, Bronny was the team’s only player who appeared in all 34 games of the season and won MVP in a victory against his dad’s alma mater, St. Vincent–St. Mary High School.
Through his partnership with Nike, Bronny wants to continue supporting the LeBron James Family Foundation and positively impacting communities that matter most to him.
Haley Jones, a senior guard at Stanford University, was a five-star, top recruit out of high school and has continued to shine throughout her collegiate career.
Last year, Haley was named the Pac-12 Player of the Year, WBCA All-America, and a Naismith Trophy finalist. She’s also a two-time USBWA All-America and AP All-America recipient.
In her sophomore year, Haley helped lead the Cardinal to an NCAA Championship win, earning the NCAA Tournament Final Four Most Outstanding Player award.
The All-American forward is a trailblazer at Stanford on and off the court and will make an impact in her community through youth engagement in underserved communities. DJ Wagner, is a point guard from Camden, N.J., and a leading player in the class of 2023.
As the son of former NBA player Dajuan Wagner and grandson of Milt Wagner, DJ’s basketball roots run in the family.
DJ is a gifted scorer with athleticism and hopes to become the first third-generation player in NBA history.
His leadership skills extend beyond the court. DJ has established an annual community giveback program, providing book bags filled with school supplies to thousands of kids in Camden, N.J.
JuJu Watkins, a senior guard from Watts in Los Angeles, is a leading player in the class of 2023 and has twice been named the Los Angeles Times Player of the Year.
JuJu is a two-time USA Basketball U17 Gold Medalist and named two-time Championship MVP.
This year, she’s also been named California Gatorade Player of the Year and MaxPreps National Player of the Year.
Standing at 6-feet-tall, she dominates in high school scoring and rebounding, and is passionate about business and fashion off the court.
JuJu volunteers with Watts Labor Community Action Committee, youth basketball camps, and youth programs, and she also supports local food banks, toy drives, and her sister’s nonprofit.
As part of her partnership with Nike, JuJu will continue her community efforts to help revitalize basketball spaces across Los Angeles and redefine the future of women’s basketball.
Nike is deepening its commitment to women’s sport and furthering its long history in women’s football by announcing a multi-year partnership with The FA. Nike will become the Official Ball Supplier of the Barclays Women’s Super League (BWSL), Barclays Women’s Championship (BWC), and The FA Women’s Continental Tyres League Cup.
Nike continues to shape the future of sport for female athletes and this partnership further demonstrates they are taking action by investing in athletes at every step. Supporting elite football is critical to Nike’s efforts as they look to inspire and open up opportunities to current and future generations of women and girls to participate in the sport. According to Whitney Malkiel, Vice President, Global Women’s, Nike, “The energy in women’s football in England right now has never been higher as we enter into this partnership with The FA at such a critical moment in our long-standing efforts to help keep growing the women’s game.”
Nike has partnered with The FA since 2013 and this new partnership extends the work that they already do with the federation. As a not-for-profit organization, The FA’s partnership with Nike is invaluable in allowing continued investment across all levels. Navin Singh, The FA’s Commercial Director, shared, “I’m delighted that we are able to expand our relationship with Nike and have one of the most recognized sports brands in the world partnered with the Barclays Women’s Super League, Barclays Women’s Championship and FA Women’s Continental Tyres League Cup.
From growing the game at a grassroots level to ensuring they provide dedicated support and innovation to those athletes and teams at the elite level, Nike’s long-term commitment enables The FA to effectively support the growth of women’s football. Singh went on to share, “Nike continuously push the boundaries when it comes to investment in women and giving them the opportunity to succeed, which is exactly what we strive to do in the women’s game. This is a really positive step for both parties, and I look forward to us working with them going forward.”
Innovation will always be Nike’s greatest competitive advantage and it will be front and center through the partnership as Nike Flight ball technology will be introduced to the BWSL, BWC, and Continental Tyres League Cup for the first time when the new season kicks off in the BWC on August 20th and the BWSL on September 10th.
The breakthrough Aerowsculpt technology uses features on the surface of the ball to help air move around it more easily. That means less wobble in the air and a more stable, predictable flight path. 3-D printed ink overlay fine tunes ball flight to help athletes* hit their target shot after shot, pass after pass and ACC (All Conditions Control) technology adds a grippy texture in both wet and dry conditions.
