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3 WNBA players to follow on social media and the brands that should sponsor them

alex sinatra
·4 min read
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The 2023 WNBA draft is April 10 and while some of the brightest names in women’s basketball are set to take the stage, there are numerous WNBA players that you should know.

While many NIL dollars are being spent on collegiate athletes, less are being spent on women’s professional athletes. Players like Washington Mystics guard Natasha Cloud recently opined why she doesn’t have a sponsorship with a pet brand. PetSmart recently did an NIL deal with Arkansas football player Trey Knox and his dog, Blue. Cloud has double the following on Twitter as Knox, but no pet brands have a sponsorship with Cloud. Other WNBA players in particular have wondered why brands aren’t pushing their advertising dollars into the professional women’s basketball world. WNBA players are great brand partners and have a fanbase that hangs on their every word.

While platforms like Parity focus on solely connecting elite female athletes with brands that match their mission, the percentage of sponsorships of female athletes is still much smaller than their male counterparts.

Due to this disparity, I founded Your Potential for Everything to help women and the underrepresented in sports gain clarity, confidence and grow their brands. With this experience in mind, I will highlight WNBA athletes and pair them with suggested brands based on their background and online presence. Whether you are a fan, brand or athlete, get to know the featured athletes below and recognize that athletes are humans First.

Let us know if you think these brands match the athlete and what other athletes we should highlight.

Sydney Colson - Las Vegas Aces

Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports

Sydney Colson played at Texas A&M University where she won an NCAA national championship in 2011. She has years of pro experience in the WNBA, most recently winning a WNBA championship with the Las Vegas Aces and playing in the second season of Athletes Unlimited.

While her on-court accomplishments are impressive, off-the-court is where many find her even more intriguing. Colson has always been a bit of an entertainer and jokester, but on social media is where it is showcased to the max. Colson is a great follow if you like to laugh, enjoy puns and don’t take yourself too seriously.

Suggested brand collaborations: Poo~Pourri, Dollar Tree and Crest toothpaste

Natasha Cloud - Washington Mystics

Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Natasha Cloud won a WNBA championship with the Washington Mystics in 2019, then opted out of the 2020 season. She is a justice warrior and recognized she was more than an athlete.

“I have a responsibility to myself, to my community and to my future children to fight for something that is much bigger than myself and the game of basketball,” Cloud said. “I will instead, continue the fight on the front lines for social reform because until black lives matter, all lives can’t matter.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CBwRHx9nMdO/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=0c5caae1-783a-4a8a-90d1-6d9e6c26833f

She joined the league again in 2021 and started working on Athletes Unlimited basketball, which is a league that gives power to the players. It aligns with her reform work. Each athlete in the league picks a charity, known as an Athlete Cause, and through a partnership with the Give Lively Foundation, a payment is provided to the Athlete Cause equal to 100% of the athlete’s season win bonus.

Suggested brand collaborations: PetSmart, Spotify and Sephora

Jonquel Jones - New York Liberty

Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Jonquel Jones is a forward for the New York Liberty and was the 2021 WNBA MVP. However, despite being named the MVP, she expressed the struggles she has had receiving endorsement and sponsorship deals.

Jones is Bahamian and Bosnian and is a self-proclaimed dog mom and travels often. Brands would be wise to snap up this athlete and she is hysterical online.

Suggested brand collaborations: Uber Eats, Elta MD Skincare and JSX.

Story originally appeared on Rookie Wire