Former Stanford Star Signs Deal with Skechers Ahead of WNBA Draft

In just two week's time, the 2025 WNBA Draft will be held, where rising superstars will get the chance to live out their dreams of playing basketball at the highest level. As the draft process inches ever closer, players are already starting to prepare for the start of their pro careers.

For former Stanford star and current USC standout, Kiki Iriafen, that also includes locking in a shoe deal, with the top prospect recently signing an endorsement deal with Skechers.

Projected to be a top selection in the draft, Iriafen becomes the first college player added to the ever-growing roster of basketball stars signed to the company, and joins a list of current pro stars that include WNBA's Rickea Jackson and NBA superstars Joel Embiid and Julius Randle.

After USC lost in the Elite Eight to end Iriafen's college career, she finished the season averaging 18 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists.

"This partnership is about more than just basketball," Iriafen said upon signing. "Sketchers understands who I am on and off the court and what I need to be at my best. I love that the brand is based in my hometown of L.A. and has the global outreach to help me inspire and impact more female athletes worldwide to pursue their dreams.

"Skechers does comfort better than any other brand I've experienced, which gives me confidence to have them as my teammate as I enter into this next chapter of my life."

Spending her first three college seasons with Stanford, where she broke out as junior and averaged 19.4 points per game, Iriafen transferred to USC's program ahead of her senior campaign and was a star from the moment she got there.

Starting all 35 games, she earned First-team All-Big Ten honors, Third-team All-American honors and was named a WBCA Coaches All-American.

But it was in the NCAA Tournament where Iriafen was particularly dominant, putting together her best game in the Trojans' second round win over Mississippi State where she scored 36 points and grabbed nine rebounds in the 96-59 win to advance to the Sweet Sixteen.

With USC star sophomore JuJu Watkins going down with an ACL tear during the team's run, it left Iriafen as arguably the team's most important player.

Projected to be a lottery pick in the draft, Iriafen could very well be the next franchise player for whichever team selects her. In a more recent mock draft by Bleacher Report, she is projected to be drafted No. 6 overall by the Washington Mystics. Washington owns the No. 3, 4, and 6 overall picks, so the likelihood that she lands with the Mystics would seem high.

With the recent retirement of their star player, Elena Delle Donne, Iriafen could be the perfect player to begin the new era of Mystics basketball.

The WNBA Draft will be held on April 14, essentially right after the tournament ends, with training camp opening up about two weeks after that. With the season set to begin in May, Iriafen and the other draft picks will get a very short amount of time off before embarking on their new journeys as professional basketball superstars.