Caitlin Clark shoe: Nike’s exciting Caitlin 1 finally drops
The Caitlin Clark shoe is finally here. Nike released the Caitlin 1, the Indiana Fever star’s first signature basketball sneaker, to the public Thursday, Oct. 1, more than two years into Clark’s reported $28 million contract with the brand, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The shoe went on sale online at 7 a.m. PT/10 a.m. ET (9 a.m. CT) through Nike.com, the Nike SNKRS app and select retailers, including Foot Locker and Dick’s Sporting Goods, according to The Hollywood Reporter and Hawkeyes Wire, part of the USA Today Network.
Caitlin Clark shoe colorways and prices
The Caitlin 1 launched in two colorways. Nike’s product listing calls them “Caitlin Blue” and “Warning Code Yellow,” Hawkeyes Wire reported; The Hollywood Reporter shortened the second name to “Warning Yellow.” “Caitlin Blue” comes in adult, big kids’ and little kids’ sizes, while the yellow pair is available only in adult sizes at launch, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Adult sizes cost $140, big kids’ sizes $115 and little kids’ sizes $105, according to both outlets. Clark first wore the “Caitlin Blue” version in a WNBA game against the Atlanta Dream on June 18, Hawkeyes Wire reported.
Caitlin Clark shoe design details
Every pair uses a Nike Opticast upper, a new material built from cast polyurethane nodes that Nike says helps cut drag and makes movement on the court more efficient, according to Hawkeyes Wire.
Clark’s interlocking “CC” logo sits on the tongue, and her No. 22 shows up near the lace loop and is molded into the upper. Nike stacked two Swoosh logos as a nod to her initials and the 3-point arc, and her signature runs across the heel, The Hollywood Reporter reported.
The phrases “It was never a long shot,” “Shoot More Threes” and “From Anywhere” are printed on the shoes, including the outsole.
Nike said the Caitlin 1 is “built around the speed, range and unpredictability that make her extraordinary performances seem downright ordinary,” The Hollywood Reporter reported.
“A lot of thought and time has gone into this shoe,” Clark said, per The Hollywood Reporter. “I never thought I would have my own signature shoe, and now that I do, it’s pretty special. I can’t wait to share this moment with so many people.”
Where to buy the Caitlin Clark shoe
Beyond Nike’s own channels, Scheels is selling the Caitlin 1, but for now only in “Caitlin Blue” adult sizes, and Finish Line, which has several Iowa stores, is also carrying it, according to Hawkeyes Wire.
Shoppers hoping to buy through Dick’s Sporting Goods must enter a drawing in the retailer’s app, and winners can pick up their pairs in store, the outlet reported.
Iowa fans have another option. Nike and Dick’s Sporting Goods are running a pop-up merchandise truck near the University of Iowa campus in Iowa City with both colorways and other Clark gear, Hawkeyes Wire reported. The truck is scheduled to be open 4-8 p.m. CT on Oct. 1, noon-8 p.m. CT on Oct. 2 and 8 a.m.-noon CT on Oct. 3, before Iowa hosts Ohio State at Kinnick Stadium.
Nike also built a court on the edge of campus that will host the Iowa women’s basketball team, student intramurals and a 3-point contest, according to the outlet.
Will the Caitlin Clark shoe sell out?
Demand could be steep. All four of Clark’s player-exclusive Nike Kobe shoes sold out within minutes online, and her Kobe 5 and Kobe 6 models have averaged $260 to $415 on resale platform StockX, well above their $190 to $200 retail prices, Hawkeyes Wire reported.
The Caitlin Clark shoe is the latest entry in a growing list of WNBA signature sneaker deals. It also lands as Nike’s retro releases, such as the Air Jordan 3 “True Blue”, keep drawing crowds.
What’s next
Fans who miss the first Caitlin Clark shoe drop will get more chances. Nike has announced more Caitlin 1 colorways through the end of the year, including the red “Midnight Fever,” the purple “Venom,” the white-and-blue “Ice Cold” and the sand-colored “Cave Stone,” according to Hawkeyes Wire.
The shoe joins Nike’s Caitlin Clark Collection of hoodies, T-shirts, jackets, pullovers, shorts and pants in adult and kids’ sizes, priced from $35 to $325, plus a $20 poster of Clark, the outlet reported. For more sneaker and style news, visit our Beauty & Fashion section.
Reporting from The Hollywood Reporter and Hawkeyes Wire contributed to this story.