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Former Iowa Basketball superstar Caitlin Clark signs with Wilson

In doing so, she became the first athlete to partner with the brand since Michael Jordan in the 1980s.
Connecticut Sun v Indiana Fever
Connecticut Sun v Indiana Fever / Emilee Chinn/GettyImages
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Caitlin Clark continues to rack up major sponsorship deals.

On Tuesday, the former Iowa women's basketball superstar and current Indiana Fever guard signed a multi-year partnership with Wilson Sporting Goods. Clark will test, advise, and offer her opinions on Wilson products, and the deal also includes a signature basketball collection for the 22 year old star.

“Wilson is made to celebrate the most iconic moments in sport, and we have always aligned ourselves with trailblazers who break boundaries and write their own story,” Wilson’s head of global brand Amanda Lamb said in the company’s press release. “Caitlin Clark is not just a record-setting athlete, but a cultural icon who has had a profound impact on the game. We couldn’t be prouder to join forces with her to continue innovating basketball both on and off the court.”

Through the basketball collection, the company will produce special Clark merchandise throughout the year along with three signature gold and white balls that celebrate Clark's incredible accomplishments during her career. They are - "Threes up," in honor of her long-range triples, "Record Breaker," in recognition of Clark breaking the all-time NCAA scoring record with Iowa, and "Crowd Maestro," for her ability to dazzle and bring large crowds to every game she plays in. All three balls are listed at $49.95 each on the company's website.

Clark said she signed with Wilson because she often used their balls during childhood pickup games with her brothers. Wilson is also the official ball of the WNBA.

“I loved that thing more than anything. My brothers and I would always fight over it,” Clark told Boardroom. “That was the best basketball. But I’m just super excited to have a collaboration and create basketballs together that are really cool. I’ve seen the designs that young girls, boys, whoever can get their hands on and go dribble in the driveway or take it to practice with them.”

Clark's major deal also puts her in the same company as legendary great Michael Jordan. Clark is the first athlete to partner with the brand since Jordan did back in the 1980s. Clark is grateful to be even mentioned with Jordan.

“I feel fortunate and lucky,”Clark told Forbes. “Michael is the best of all time. To see young kids eventually dribbling with my signature [ball], how lucky am I to be part of something like this, to be able to be the first to do this since [Jordan]? I think it puts into perspective how highly thought of Wilson is and what they are doing and the basketballs they are creating.”

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Though Clark led the Iowa Hawkeyes to consecutive national championship game appearances, it has been a bit of a struggle for her in the WNBA with the Fever, as the team currently sits at 0-4 to begin the year. Clark is averaging 17 points and four rebounds per game to start her career.