"She reminds me of myself at 16": WNBA legend Candace Parker praises 5-star prospect Kaleena Smith as she signs a historic women's basketball NIL deal

By Rotsen Rick Tidoy

Modified Nov 16, 2024 09:01 GMT

A new era in NIL deals has begun with five-star prospect Kaleena Smith signing with Adidas on Thursday at just 16 years old. She also became the brand's first women's high school basketball partner. The guard is also the first signing after WNBA legend Candace Parker was named President of Adidas Women’s Basketball.

“She reminds me of myself at 16," Parker said in a video announcing Smith's signing. "The future of basketball isn’t coming. She’s already here.”

Parker also released a statement about Smith's signing on Thursday:

“If you watch her play, her game speaks for itself. As a brand, we felt like this was a perfect fit. When I started in my role, I wanted to take an innovative approach in how we connect with the best players in the game and empower them in their pursuit of excellence on and off the court.

“Signing Kaleena as our first high school NIL women’s basketball athlete is a pivotal moment for us as we lead in championing women’s sports and building greater access to and representation in the game that we all love.”

In her freshman year, Kaleena Smith impressed enough to become the consensus No. 1 prospect in the Class of 2027. She was named the 2023-2024 Girls Basketball MaxPreps National Freshman of the Year and was a team captain in Overtime Select. She was also selected for the 2024 USA Women's U17 National Team.

Kaleena Smith on her new deal with Adidas

The enormity of the occasion was not lost on the high school sophomore either, as she spoke with the official Adidas website regarding her historic NIL deal. She said in a statement released on Thursday:

“I embrace any opportunity to challenge myself and improve my game, and I believe that’s what has fostered the confidence and skill I have on the court. I’m blessed to be part of something Candace is creating, and to get to do that with a brand like Adidas who is taking a different approach to play a role to help grow the game for players like me.

"Plus, I’m really excited to get to rock the Harden sneakers this season.”

With the NIL deal, Kaleena Smith will represent Adidas during all her games, including those for her high school team, Ontario Christian and her AAU Team, 7 Days Knight.