Under Armour Picks Up Wins at 2023 WNBA Draft
Less than two weeks ago, most of the top prospects in women's hoops were competing in March Madness. Last night, they were walking across the stage at the 2023 WNBA Draft, and in one week, they will start their professional careers.
Yeah, women hoopers are about that life. If NBA players had to deal with that kind of turnaround, they would have already been ruled out for the next few weeks due to load management. But I digress.
Despite the hectic schedule and grueling levels of exhaustion, it was a magical night where a lifetime of hard work finally paid off. The next generation of superstars is officially here, and there is reason for Under Armour to be optimistic about the future.
Aliyah Boston
Aliyah Boston and Cathy Engelbert.
Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
It would have been impossible to watch the 2023 NCAA Women's Championship game between the Iowa Hawkeyes and LSU Tigers and not see Aliyah Boston's face.
While the South Carolina Gamecocks were eliminated in the Final Four, that did not stop a blitz of Under Armour commercials featuring Boston and her teammates, Stephen Curry and Kelsey Plum. It was part of the brand's recently revived 'Protect This House' campaign.
South Carolina is an Under Armour school, and the brand worked closely with Boston to create opportunities and capitalize on her popularity through new Name, Image, & Likeness (NIL) deals.
There has not been any official word on Boston's first sneaker deal as a professional athlete, but it would not come as a surprise if the number one overall draft pick inked a new deal with Under Armour.
Diamond Miller
Diamond Miller and Cathy Engelbert.
Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
South Carolina received a lot of love from Under Armour's commercials, but let's not forget the brand's flagship school. South Carolina narrowly defeated the Maryland Terrapins in the Elite Eight.
Diamond Miller led the Terrapins throughout the season and was quickly selected by the Minnesota Lynx with the second overall draft pick. Like Boston, Miller has not signed a sneaker deal yet. But she has the skill and star power to help carry any brand she represents on the court.
Making Boston and Miller the face of their women's basketball line has to be a top priority for Under Armour. Even better, Under Armour should have inroads with other former Gamecocks Laeticia Amihere, Zia Cooke, and former Terrapin Abby Meyers, who were also selected in the first round of last night's draft.
Nike still has a firm grip on the WNBA. But as we wrote in November, the league has become the new battleground for brands that are launching new signature sneaker lines left and right. The future is brighter than ever for the W and its players.
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