The moment women’s basketball fans have been patiently waiting for is finally here.
Unrivaled, the new three-on-three women’s basketball league founded by WNBA stars Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, tips off Jan. 17. The games will air live on TNT.
Aside from the six-figure salaries for players and equity in the league, Unrivaled makes it possible for superstar players to stay in the U.S. in the off-season rather than compete overseas. And for sneaker fans, it offers more opportunities to see the footwear the athletes are wearing.
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“Keeping some of the best talent stateside means players are not just visible and thought of during the WNBA season but really all year long. Unrivaled will be a catalyst to the growing popularity of individual players, which will in turn drive a demand for more women’s footwear,” said Greydy Diaz, a journalist, host and producer who covers women’s sports. “Fans are going to be checking for what their favorite players are rocking on and off the court.”
Matt Powell, advisor at Spurwink River and senior advisor at BCE Consulting, agrees. He also believes Unrivaled offers yet another opportunity for brands to truly invest in women athletes and solve a longtime problem: performance footwear specifically made for her needs.
“The issue with the women’s basketball shoe market is that there are very few brands actually making women’s shoes,” Powell explained. “Will Unrivaled get more attention for shoes that are made for a man but with a woman’s name on it? Maybe. But that isn’t addressing the core issue of why we have such a tiny women’s basketball shoe business in the U.S., which is that brands simply are not making product for her.”
He continued, “The attention around women’s basketball has never been higher. This is the perfect time for brands to commit to making basketball shoes that are made for a woman’s foot. There has never been a better time for that to happen.”
The Product Problem
Moolah Kicks, a woman-led company, broke into the market in 2021 by offering performance basketball shoes solely for women. And Under Armour debuted its Breakthru franchise in 2020, sneakers that are designed specifically for the unique demands of the female foot.
Beyond that, however, the amount of women’s-specific basketball footwear in the marketplace is slim.
Powell believes this could be a viable category for athletic brands if they simply made for basketball shoes for women and abandoned the current unisex model that many brands follow.
“Chuck Taylor, Birkenstock, Dr. Marten, those are unisex shoes. A performance shoe is not a unisex shoe. It’s either made for a man or made for a woman,” Powell explained. “We see NBA players wearing Sabrina [Ionescu’s Nike] shoe, which I would argue is because this really made for a man’s foot.”
He continued, “The heel-to-forefoot ratio is very severe in a woman’s foot. Her heel is much narrower than her forefoot. And a man, his foot is more like a big, rectangular thing. If he’s trying to stuff his big heel into a narrow space, it’s going to be an uncomfortable shoe to wear. In my opinion, and no one will admit this to me, but the the only reason he can wear [Sabrina Ionescu’s Nike] shoe is because it’s made for a man’s foot.”
Challenger Brands, Now Is Your Time to Win
When it comes to numbers, Nike has a clear advantage, as most players who will hit the Unrivaled court are aligned with the Swoosh. However, several other big names will also have a presence on court.
For instance, aside from Stewart, Puma will have Jackie Young and Skylar Diggins-Smith in its shoes. And Adidas athletes playing in Unrivaled include Aaliyah Edwards, Aliyah Boston, Chelsea Gray and Kahleah Copper.
However, the athletic company that will be featured front-and-center at Unrivaled is Under Armour.
In December 2024, Under Armour was announced as the official and exclusive uniform partner and performance outfitter of Unrivaled. With the multiyear partnership, Under Armour will provide the on-court uniforms for the inaugural season, and will equip players, coaches and staff with performance apparel and accessories.
“Under Armour has already gained incredible ground with the Unrivaled uniform deal. On social media alone, the brand is everywhere,” Diaz said. “The players are rocking UA when they work out in the gym, when they practice, during games and especially when they are filming their hilarious TikTok and Instagram content. It does help that several of their uniforms will make you triple-take because they are just that good.”
She continued, “Under Armour has been investing in women’s hoops and making big strides at the collegiate and pro levels. The brand took it up a big notch by making some of the best players in the world, who are playing in Miami the next 10 weeks, rock their logo.”
The brand’s intentional focus on women, however, is not new — and has never been limited to basketball. For instance, fans of Under Armour will remember it’s massive “I Will What I Want” campaign in 2014 that highlighted several renowned women athletes, including Lindsey Vonn, Misty Copeland and Kelley O’Hara.
When it comes to basketball, Under Armour has helped Kelsey Plum’s star become further realized by a broader audience, most notably by promoting her player edition shoes that often support things that are important to her (mental health awareness, her cigar company). And college hoops fans won’t forget the “You Win Some, You Lose None” messaging Under Armour shared on social media celebrating South Carolina for both its women’s college basketball championship win in 2024 and its undefeated season.
“When I started my page, they would often message me about certain posts, showing they’re actively engaging with accounts supporting fashion more than some bigger brands. They’re developing a niche,” said Velissa Vaughn, founder of the athlete style-focused @hertunnel Instagram account. “This partnership will create change for women consumers, as Under Armour focuses on both quality and performance in their sneakers. I think they’ll gain ground not only in women’s basketball but across women’s sports and female athletes.”
Though Powell believes the impact will me minimal on its women’s basketball shoe business, he believes the message Under Armour is sending to women is strong.
“I don’t know that because a young woman sees an Under Armour logo on the court for this new league that they’re going to go out and buy Under Armour. But does it get make them feel better about Under Armour? Do they say, ‘Under Armour gets me, they are supporting women’? That’s an important message for a brand to send. I don’t think it’s a direct lift to the business, but I think it’s a very positive message for them to be sending.”
Beyond Under Armour, Powell believes Unrivaled offers every brand competing in the women’s basketball shoe category with Nike a chance to win.
“Let’s think about market share. Under Armour has a nice market share in men’s, they don’t have much in the women’s at all. New Balance, virtually none in men’s or in women’s,” he explained. “The ones who have the smallest share are the ones who probably can benefit the most because it’s more diverse than probably anytime we’ve ever seen it in the history of women’s basketball shoes. That allows the challenger brands to scrape some share away from the big guy.”
He continued, “If a brand comes out with basketball shoes made for women and athletes want to wear those shoes, that could hurt Nike. I don’t think the hold that they have, the market share that they have, is unassailable. Other brands can take share from them. We’ve seen that happen and running so it absolutely could happen here, and the way that it would happen is by one of the challenger brands making a women’s-lasted basketball shoe.”
Vaughn, too, believes the door is open for other brands to make some noise.
“We’re seeing smaller brands offering players footwear deals, like Rickea [Jackson’s] recent Skechers signing. As the market grows with the players and leagues, I think we’ll see other brands trying to lock in talent and create opportunities beyond giants like Nike and Adidas,” she said.
Storylines to Watch
The compelling sneaker storylines began well before an Unrivaled game was played.
For instance, Satou Sabally, who once was a Jordan Brand athlete, was spotted on social media wearing the Adidas AE 1. Jordan Brand confirmed with FN that Sabally is no longer on its roster of athletes.
Also, DiJonai Carrington, who wore looks from the LaMelo Ball franchise with Puma during the last WNBA season, has been seen in the Reebok Engine A. Puma confirmed with FN that Carrington is not on its athlete roster.
“I certainly have my eye on the sneaker free agents,” Diaz said. “It’s always interesting to see which brands they end up because it’s not always the brand you think but the brand that makes sense for where they are at in their careers.”
When play begins, Diaz said she’s interested in the player editions that the athletes could wear, and would love to see someone debut a signature shoe, but admitted that could be a long shot.
As for Vaughn, rather than seeing what a specific brand will do, she is more interested in how this will impact those without a current shoe deal and which brands will step up.
“This is really the first time we can think about women having major apparel and footwear deals beyond the biggest star names like Naomi Osaka and Coco Gauff,” she said. “Personally, I’ve always been a Nike fan and loved the Kobe and custom Kobe aesthetic across all sports, including the NBA and even the NFL, but I’m more intrigued to see what other companies will create for these women over time rather than focusing on any specific brand.”
About the Author
Peter Verry is the Senior News and Features Editor for Athletic and Outdoor at Footwear News. He oversees coverage of the two fast-paced and ultracompetitive markets, which includes conducting in-depth interviews with industry leaders and writing stories on sneakers and outdoor shoes. He is a lifelong sneaker addict (and shares his newest purchases via @peterverry on Instagram) and spends most of his free time on a trail. He holds an M.A. in journalism from Hofstra University and can be reached at peter.verry@footwearnews.com.