Honoring the 2023 WNBA All-Sneaker Team

Adidas, Nike, PUMA, and Under Armour competed for the best sneakers in the WNBA.

Before the season ever tipped off, every basketball fan knew which two teams would be in the 2023 WNBA Finals. However, that did not take away from the excitement and drama that unfolded on the hardwood. The Las Vegas Aces defeated the New York Liberty to win their second consecutive championship last night, but there were no losers this season. 

We witnessed players entering their prime, while others showed their not done yet. Best of all, there were plenty of sneaker highlights. Some players launched their signature sneaker lines, while others bet on themselves with new relationships with different brands.

We wrote last year that the WNBA is the new battleground for sneaker companies. There is no shortage of star power in the league, and brands want to be associated with the exciting and charismatic hoopers. Below is FanNation Kicks' list of the top five sneakerheads of the 2023 WNBA season.

WNBA All-Sneaker Team

Ranking the top five sneaker performers in the WNBA.

Chelsea Gray

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When discussing adidas athletes in the WNBA, the conversation always has to begin and end with Candace Parker. However, today, we are recognizing her Aces teammate, Chelsea Gray.

Throughout the season, Gray rocked an impressive rotation of adidas basketball shoes. We saw the perennial All-Star wear shoes from the signature lines of James Harden, Damian Lillard, and Trae Young. There are a handful of stars that deserve a signature sneaker line, and Gray is near the top of the list.

A'ja Wilson

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Speaking of WNBA players who deserve their own signature sneaker, let's talk about Aces forward A'Ja Wilson. Even her head coach, Becky Hammon, openly campaigned for it during a press conference last week. While we patiently wait for that to happen, it is worth highlighting Wilson's work in Nike sneakers this season.

In August, Wilson tied the league's single-game scoring record in a pair of Nike LeBron sneakers, which earned a shout-out from the king himself. Additionally, she headlines the brand's Cosmic Unity sneaker line. Online shoppers can choose between several colorways of the Cosmic Unity on the Nike website.

Kelsey Plum

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Another Aces player? Yes. Guard Kelsey Plum signed with Under Armour last October and went on to wreak havoc in the league this season. Plum wore several pairs of new and retro sneakers from Stephen Curry's signature line during Las Vegas' championship run.

Plum proved to be fond of a black and colorway of the retro Under Armour Curry 1. More specifically, one of the two pairs was released last spring as part of the 'Back-to-back MVP' pack. The pack is available for $400 on the Under Armour website, as well as several other more affordably priced options for hoopers.

Breanna Stewart

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New York fell short of their ultimate goal this season, but they will be back. Liberty forward Brenna Stewart won the WNBA MVP Award while balling out in her second pair of signature sneakers with PUMA. 

The PUMA Stewie 2 launched last spring and was immediately adopted by NBA players. That was before Stewart and PUMA released several fire colorways of the performance model. Athletes and fans can shop Stewart's collection on the PUMA website.

Sabrina Ionescu

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Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu didn't win a ring, but she is easily the sneaker MVP of the season. Ionscu's first signature sneaker with Nike was a smash hit. You know a sneaker is hot when people are stealing game-worn pairs out of a WNBA locker room.

The Nike Sabrina 1 was the hoop shoe of the summer. Everyone (including New York Yankees baseball players) wanted a pair before the official release date. Luckily, fans can choose between several colorways of Ionescu's debut sneaker on the Nike website. 

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