The 2023 WNBA Finals matchup between the New York Liberty and Las Vegas Aces is showcasing some of the most popular women’s basketball stars, and this series is also featuring a wider range of sneaker brands than any other Finals in league history.
Nike will be worn by 12 of the 22 players across the Liberty and Aces rosters. A total of six brands will be represented by stars on each team. The WNBA’s only two current signature shoes are worn by Liberty stars Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu.
Ionescu, 25, is just the 12th player in league history to launch her own signature shoe. She has laced up almost 20 colorways of her Sabrina 1s throughout the 2023 season.
For the full breakdown, four players are wearing Adidas, and two are sporting Under Armour shoes. Likewise, two are sporting Puma, one for New Balance, and one for Jordan Brand.
2023 WNBA Finals showcases a wider variety of sneaker brands than any other Finals; 12 players are representing Nike, followed by four for Adidas, two for Under Armour, two for Puma, one for New Balance, and one for Jordan Brand
Ionescu knew her signature sneakers would sell back in March. “Being able to do that in New York, tells a story in itself,” the two-time WNBA All-Star said before the season began.
“Having the only two players on the same team, rocking their shoes, being now projected to be one of the top two teams in the league and potentially winning a championship, while doing so and doing it in New York – you just can’t put that into words.”
In addition to Stewart and Ionescu, Betnijah Laney has represented Adidas the entire season. Kayla Thornton sports New Balance sneakers, whereas center Stefanie Dolson recently signed with Jordan Brand during this year’s postseason. Then there’s Jonquel Jones, who wears Kevin Durant’s Nike series.
Ionescu is about to play in her first-ever WNBA Finals game! Will she wear the upcoming “Grounded” colorway? It releases on October 18th 🏀 pic.twitter.com/GsiYTWCgZi
— Sneaker News (@SneakerNews) October 8, 2023
Thornton, 30, has worn mostly the Two Way V3, with custom-designed mesh and synthetic upper, a molded heel counter, FuelCell foam, and a fresh foam midsole cushioning.
Furthermore, Aces guard Chelsea Gray wore her own player exclusive orange and purple edition of the Dame 8 this season. Gray, 31, launched her PE at the start of September exclusively at the Adidas store in Las Vegas.
The 2023 WNBA Finals continues this Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET in Las Vegas. The Aces (34-6) lead the series 1-0 over New York (32-8). Per ESPN’s Basketball Power Index, the Aces have a 66.5% chance of taking a 2-0 lead.
