On Monday afternoon, the shoe giant announced a 12-season extension of its partnership with the two leagues, making Nike the exclusive provider of their uniforms, court uniforms, apparel, and fan apparel. The company will also continue a marketing and content partnership.
Following the announcement, Nike CEO Elliott Hill, who officially took the helm last Monday, said at a New York event that the partnership is a sign the company continues to "put that athlete and the consumer at the center of everything that we do."
"If we do that, we'll come up with new and interesting ways to celebrate the game, move the game forward... help grow the game," he said. Hill added the company is "moving beyond just on-court to lifestyle and the culture of basketball."
The star studded event featured sponsored athletes including two-time NBA champion Kevin Durant, 2024 WNBA rookie of the year Caitlin Clark, and even Sabrina Ionescu, who led the New York Liberty to win the WNBA championship on Sunday night.
As part of the deal, Nike plans to introduce programs and resources for young aspiring professional basketball players, including working with the Jr. NBA, Jr. WNBA, Basketball Without Borders (BWB), and Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL).
Jordan brand President Sarah Mensah said the move "reflects our enduring commitment to growing the game."
"We put athletes, and the game, at the center of all we do, and this extension serves to further galvanize hoopers behind a shared pursuit of greatness as only NIKE, Inc. and our partners can,” she added.
Nike has been a partner of the NBA since 1992, WNBA since its inception in 1997, and of the NBA G League since the 2017-2018 season.