* Editor’s note: This is a collaboration article with Nicole Pulido and Cee Rivers. *
The WNBA Rookie Class of 2020 is loaded with talent and oozing with potential for their future career. Hence, with the versatility of skills from among the draft picks, they are in need of gear and shoes with their style of play.
Here are five rookies who are rocking with their brands this season. Check out the heat check with the rookies below.
1. Satou Sabally – Jordan
Satou Sabally was already inside the WNBA bubble when she first posted about signing with the Jordan brand. She previously rocked with Nike at the University of Oregon. She is only the second rookie from the WNBA who Jordan brand signed to their family. The first one being Kia Nurse from the 2018 draft.
Jordan is known for customizing kicks for their signed athletes. Satou has been rocking some heat pairs on and off the court inside the wubble.
Check out the heat check with the rookies and some of her pairs here:
2. Sabrina Ionescu – Nike
Even before getting the first overall pick, there was a great buzz on which shoe family Sabrina Ionescu would sign with. Stephen Curry, who is Under Armour’s top brand ambassador, was in close negotiations with Ionescu for her decision. However, it was her ties with Nike and her alma mater, Oregon University, which ultimately led her to sign with Nike.
Though she only played three games this season, she has rocked some pretty dope shoes. She chose to honor her late friend, the legendary Kobe Bryant, and Gigi.
Here are some of the heat check with the rookies and kicks she wore:
3. Tyasha Harris – Under Armour
Ty Harris has been rocking with Under Armour since her collegiate days with the University of South Carolina. Hence, her signing with the brand, she has stayed with her connections and is pretty comfortable with the brand’s shoes and gear.
Just this week, Harris hooked up her old Gamecocks teammates with some new pairs of UA Basketball shoes, including the soon to be released Under Armour HOVR Breakthru. This is the first basketball performance shoes of Under Armour specifically designed for female athletes.
Here are some of the heat that Ty has rocked this season:
4. Bella Alarie – Under Armour
Growing up in Maryland she said that Under Armour felt like her “next-door neighbor.” Her decision was greatly benefitted by Under Armour’s plans for the future years to grow the game for women all over the world.
In Alarie’s YouTube channel, she has shared the packages that UA has been sending her inside the WNBA bubble. She also has her customized pairs which she also rocks on the floor.
Here are some of her collection:
5. Kaila Charles – Under Armour
Kaila Charles is the last rookie that Under Armour has signed with their brand. This has been the most WNBA rookies that Under Armour has signed since the start of the league. This is great because of how they want to move forward and have a larger impact on women’s sports.
Charles attended the University of Maryland, which is the alma mater of Under Armour’s founder, Kevin Plank, and is the company’s flagship school. She also mentioned that this is her shot to represent Under Armour in a brand-new way for women ballers everywhere.
Also in Kaila’s YouTube channel, she has shared the care packages that UA has been sending. Here are some of them:
Rookie sneakerheads run deep
Although many of this year’s draftees were not as lucky to come across a deal this early in their career, that did not stop them from bringing some severe heat to the Wubble, making many question if deals are looming in the future.
Te’a Cooper
Cooper, who signed with Lil Wayne’s Young Money APAA Sports Agency earlier this year, told Winsidr she brought 29 pairs of shoes with her to the wubble. Ensuring that she had enough for all 22 regular-season games and seven playoff games before wearing anything twice, and every single one has been a killer. Stepping out in Balenciagas and AJ 1s off the court and balling out in Kyries and various other Nike PEs in-game.
Chennedy “Hollywood” Carter
Possibly the biggest shock this year is that fourth overall pick Chennedy Carter is still without an endorsement deal. But she has been keeping up with the wubble style and sticking to her roots. Just like in her college days at Texas A&M, Carter has been consistently rocking Adidas Dames during games. Leading many to believe that the young star will follow behind former Dream players, McCoughtry and Clarendon, and join Adidas’ growing roster in the near future.
All in all this year’s rookies have been giving the vets a run for their money when it comes to playing and sneaker heat, and it is sure to heat up even more as we head into playoffs this Tuesday.
Enjoy more sneaker related and women’s sports features here at Beyond Women’s Sports.
