WNBA star Caitlin Clark still shows love for her alma mater.
On Tuesday, the Indiana Fever guard surprised the Iowa Hawkeyes men’s and women’s basketball teams with pairs of her own player-exclusive colorway of the Nike Kobe 5 Protro shoe.
“Thanks to [Caitlin Clark] for being that great … we feel so blessed,” Iowa women’s basketball head coach Jan Jensen said.
Clark has consistently sported the Kobe Bryant signature sneaker since her college days at Iowa. During the 2024 women’s NCAA tournament, the current Fever guard donned the “Bruce Lee” Kobe 5s in the Hawkeyes’ run, which ended with a loss in the national championship game against the South Carolina Gamecocks.
Big thank you to No. 22 🤩#Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/LZ6wChSPae
— The Iowa Hawkeyes (@TheIowaHawkeyes) July 22, 2025
In a 2024 interview, Clark expressed why the Bryant signature shoe is her favorite.
“I’m a Kobe person,” Clark said last season. “Everybody knows that. It’s the best shoe. It’s not even close. … So, obviously, just to wear [Kobe’s] shoe and obviously what Vanessa [Bryant] has done and their family has done. And continuing his legacy, not only obviously within his shoe, but just that whole foundation and just the Kobe brand is pretty incredible. So, I feel very lucky and fortunate to not only represent Nike, but also their entire family.”
In Indiana’s season opener against the Chicago Sky, Clark wore the custom “Rookie of the Year” Kobe 5 player edition sneakers, a nod to the honor she won in the 2024 season after averaging 19.2 points, 5.7 rebounds and 8.4 assists.
The Kobe 5 “Caitlin Clark” colorway was originally released on June 30.
Clark inked an eight-year, $28 million deal with Nike in April 2024, with a signature sneaker currently in the works. She also debuted a new player edition sneaker at WNBA All-Star Weekend.
Clark is currently averaging 16.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 8.8 assists for the Fever this season.
