USC women's basketball standout Kiki Iriafen has secured an endorsement deal with Skechers Basketball two weeks before the 2025 WNBA Draft.
Iriafen will play in the SKX Nexus when she takes the court as a professional for the first time, according to media personality Nick DePaula. The basketball sneaker is marketed as a breathable low-top shoe with added ankle support designed for speed, stability, support, and quick cuts on the court.
As the new brand ambassador, Iriafen will also appear in global marketing ads. Iriafen is the first college player Skechers has chosen for an endorsement deal, which Iriafen doesn't take lightly.
“This partnership is about more than just basketball,” Iriafen started. “Skechers 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 reach 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,” Iriafen said.
The All-American forward joins pro players like Joel Embiid, Julius Randle, and Rickea Jackson, among others, on Skechers Basketball's roster, but she's just the second woman they've signed. President Michael Greenberg emphasized the sneaker brand's commitment to working with Iriafen long-term and catering to women's sports.
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“Kiki is a rising star with a bright future in the league. We look forward to supporting her from the draft through her first season and beyond,” Greenberg said.
“As the second woman on our basketball roster, she also furthers our mission to engage with female athletes around the world so that more players everywhere experience the signature ‘Comfort that Performs' of Skechers.”
The likely WNBA draft lottery pick had her breakout season at Stanford in 2023-24 before transferring to USC for her last year of college eligibility. In Iriafen's sole campaign with the Trojans, she averaged 18 points on 49% shooting and 8.4 rebounds.
The soon-to-be WNBA rookie averaged 18 points and 8.4 boards with top-seeded USC women's basketball in the NCAA Tournament, ending her college career two games shy of the national title in the Elite Eight.
The WNBA Draft takes place on April 14, and the hot pink SKX Nexus shoe is set to drop the day after.
Lead Editor and lifelong sports fanatic Jess Koffie has covered a wide variety of sports in the past seven years, but spotlighting the Women’s side has always been a passion and primary focus throughout their career. The New Jersey native graduated from Rutgers University in 2017 before expanding her professional experience into areas such as live game coverage, radio and podcast production, digital content creation, and interviewing. Now, this die-hard New York Giants fan spends most of their time dodging Eagles fans like the plague.
