The WNBA’s popularity has skyrocketed in the past year. Viewership and attendance are up (big-time), engagement on social media is at an all-time high, and more ladies (deservingly) get their signature sneaker lines. Alongside these athletes (and future ones) who have signature models, plenty of players showcased exclusive sneakers across the league, from collaborations celebrating personal milestones to colorways tapping into pop culture. In this article, we’re ranking the top 10 WNBA PEs of the year, highlighting the creative designs and stories behind each pair.
10. Gabby Williams x Jordan Tatum 2 Attack on Titan PE
During the 2024 Summer Olympics, Gabby Williams of the Seattle Storm took the court for the French women’s team and debuted her Jordan Tatum 2 PE. Inspired by the iconic anime and manga Attack on Titan, the sneaker comes with a canvas print inspired by the show's visuals and features a French flag to honor her heritage.
9. Angel Reese x Reebok Answer III Unapologetically Angel PE
Even though Angel Reese is slated to get her signature sneaker in 2025 and has become the face of the upcoming Reebok Engine A, Reese has received her own PEs throughout her rookie season. The star of the show is not even a sneaker she laced up on the court but an F&F colorway of Allen Iverson’s Answer III that takes on a color palette similar to her first Reebok collection. Unapologetically Angel branding is added to the upper on the right shoe’s tongue and on a hangtag attached to the left pair, nodding to Reese’s podcast.
8. Nike Sabrina 2 Team USA PE
Sabrina Ionescu helped lead Team USA’s women’s basketball squad to another gold medal in style with her signature sneaker. The public had a shot at copping the Team USA Sabrina 2, but Sabrina took the court in her special colorway. Retaining the same design as the retail version of the Team USA Sabrina 2, this Gold Medal PE replaced the white branding details along the Swoosh and tongue with metallic gold.
7. A’ja Wilson x Nike LeBron 21 South Beach PE
Alongside Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark, A’ja Wilson will be one of the women who will receive a signature sneaker. However, in the lead-up to her debuting the A’One, Wilson has been sporting fellow Nike signature athlete LeBron James’ signature sneakers. Nike even gave Wilson a special PE version of the LeBron 21 that takes inspiration from the past South Beach colorways of LeBrons.
6. Satou Sabally x Jordan Luka 3 Sunflower PE
Satou Sabally’s connection to Jordan Brand runs strong. The Dallas Wings star signed a deal in 2020 alongside Jordin Canada, Te’a Coper, Crystal Dangerfield, and Dearica Hamby. Since then, we’ve seen Sabally get multiple PEs of Jordan performance basketball sneakers, with 2024 seeing multiple Jordan Luka 3 PEs. Notably, her Sunflower PE made its way around the net as fans appreciated the theme and color palette.
5. Kelsey Plum x Under Armour Breakthru 5 Ring Night PE
Winning back-to-back WNBA championships, Kelsey Plum looked to celebrate this momentous achievement with her partners at Under Armour. The all-new women’s-focused Under Armour Breakthru 5 was crafted in a Ring Night colorway that honored both Plum’s two WNBA championships and her iconic cigars from the parade celebration.
4. Dana Evans x Jordan Tatum 2 PE
Sole Retriever was fortunate enough to catch up with WNBA star Dana Evans, who explained the process behind creating a player-exclusive sneaker. The pair in question? The Jordan Tatum 2 Cheat Code. The pair sports a cherry red color palette with a custom Dana Evans logo on the tongue of the left pair and the phrase “Find A Way” inscribed on the medial midsole. Tatum himself sported the pair in game two of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals.
3. Caitlin Clark x Nike Kobe 6 Protro PE
As mentioned, Caitlin Clark is one of the following WNBA players who will get a signature sneaker. Before Nike and Clark give us a glimpse into what they’re cooking up, they came together to craft a Kobe 6 Protro PE. As a self-proclaimed Nike Kobe fan, it only makes sense that following her Kobe 5 she would get a Kobe 6. The pair comes in a light grey and white color scheme with baby blue accents on the Swoosh and Kobe sheath logo along the tongue, with Clark debuting the pair in the anticipated match-up against Angel Reese on August 31.
2. Tina Charles’ adidas AE 1 Multi-Color PE
Coming seemingly out of nowhere, Tina Charles debuted an all-new adidas AE 1 PE that not even Ant-Man has been spotted with yet. Details about the pair are currently under wraps, though it’s possible the pair was made for Tina. We see a multi-color tie-dye rainbow finish to the knit upper with the generative support wing on the midfoot, which also takes on this tie-dye effect. More colorful pops land on the lace and heel counter with a volt hue, and the sole unit below also comes in a tie-dye finish.
1. Nike Kobe 6 Protro WNBA All-Star PE
Vanessa Bryant teased the WNBA and sneaker world with an early look at the Kobe 6 Protro created for this year’s WNBA All-Star Game. After these teasers, Sole Retriever got an in-hand look at the pair before select players wore it during the weekend’s festivities. Akin to the iconic Reverse Grinch colorway, the pair sports a vibrant red upper with hints of green on the Swoosh, heel, and Kobe sheath logo.
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Sneakerhead from South Florida who turned his passion into a career. Concerts, music, trying new restaurants, and catching the latest movies are some of the things I enjoy when not writing for Sole Retriever. Email: nick@soleretriever.com
