Nike's Jordan Brand yesterday announced that it signed Maya Moore as its first female basketball endorser. The Minnesota Lynx selected the former UConn G as the No. 1 overall pick in last month's WNBA Draft (Jordan Brand). Moore said, "I had the opportunity to be part of team Jordan and I jumped at the opportunity." In Hartford, John Altavilla notes Moore's "mission will be to sell shoes and athletic accessories to this and the next generation of girls." There "may even be a sneaker made with her name on it." Moore: "We're working through those things. I'm going to hopefully get a chance to get in there and be a part of the whole process. There's more to come. It's still really fresh, so we're definitely going to have something good for me to rock on the court." Nike Media Relations Manager KeJuan Wilkins "would not say when Moore will appear in her first commercial or print advertisement." But he said, "She embodies the characteristics and traits that Michael [Jordan] had during his career as well as the other athletes we have in the family" (HARTFORD COURANT, 5/19).
SHE'S GOT GAME: YAHOO SPORTS' Jeff Eisenberg noted the Jordan Brand "has increased its production of women's shoes in recent years and the addition of Moore could signal that more women's shoes and apparel are on the way." Baker Street Partners Exec VP & Exec Creative Dir Bob Dorfman: "She's the type of player that can dominate a game, she has a good personality and she can sell a product. It will be a challenge to see if she can avoid suffering the same fate as players like Diana Taurasi and Candace Parker who entered the league with a lot of hoopla and just became another star but not one who's bigger than the sport" (SPORTS. YAHOO.com, 5/18). SLAM ONLINE's Chris O'Leary wrote the move "makes sense" for Jordan Brand. Having an "on-court game changer in the most popular basketball sneaker in the world is a good move for the brand" (SLAMONLINE.com, 5/18).
