For years, Converse was the biggest brand in basketball, inking endorsement deals with the biggest names in the NBA. Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Isiah Thomas, and just about every major star in the league in the early 80s was partnered with the Converse brand.
Now, 30-plus years later, Converse — a subsidiary of Nike now — is making its way back into the hoops scene and announced their latest athlete signing on Monday, as they’ve added Washington Mystics guard Natasha Cloud.
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Cloud is coming off the best season of her career, averaging 9.0 points and 5.6 assists per game for the WNBA champion Mystics, upping her performance in the playoffs to the tune of 13.1 points and 6.2 assists per game. Not only is Cloud a rising star on the court, but the 28-year-old has found herself as a leading voice off of it, becoming a prominent figure in the WNBA in speaking out on social issues, most recently penning a piece for The Players Tribune on racial injustice and the importance of everyone to speak out on the issue.
That piece is referenced in Converse’s announcement, as they pledged $25,000 to an organization in Philly fighting for racial justice, and they are clearly bringing her on not just for her on-court abilities but because of her strong positions off the court. As Cloud told The Washington Post recently, her stance is clear, she’s going to speak out and use her platform, aligning herself with brands that are willing to commit to her passions off the floor as much as on it.
“A lot of times, athletes are afraid to use that platform in fear of consequences and not getting sponsors and getting backlash and not necessarily wanting to take on that role model role,” she said. “But at the same time, we do a disservice by not doing those things.”
Cloud joins Kelly Oubre Jr. and Draymond Green as recent signings to the Converse brand and will give them a major voice and presence in the women’s game.
