Jackie Young’s Skechers signing is about community and confidence

Las Vegas Aces guard Jackie Young is pretty good at keeping a secret.

When the two-time WNBA champion arrived at the Aces’ media day in May, cameras flashed and questions came fast when Young was asked about her electric pink sneakers.

“I’m pretty crazy when it comes to my shoes,” Young told Andscape. “It started right before training camp. As soon as I put the shoes on? I like the style, I like the colorways.”

Sporting a then-unreleased pair of the Skechers SKX Nexus, Young kept her best poker face as questions came from media members about her bright basketball shoes.

Young had just begun testing shoes from Skechers but hadn’t officially signed with the California company.

“I was just dodging questions until we could actually release something,” Young said, smiling. “My teammates, my friends? They knew.”

Once it came time for photos, she hit angles – and even handstands – strategically covering the ‘S’ logo with a spare basketball or a staggered stance.

It wouldn’t be until months after media day in the heat of July that Young could finally reveal the secret: She was a Skechers athlete after all, quickly making moves on the court like recording her first career triple-double and actively giving back to her hometown of Princeton, Ind.

“We’re trying to do big things,” said Young, who made a pitstop in Princeton with her new sponsor ahead of WNBA All-Star Weekend in nearby Indianapolis. “I’ve only been with them a few months, and the team came to my hometown. That says a lot.”

Young, who has a quiet personality, is known for letting her actions speak. But now she has a louder, larger footwear partner intent on making more noise for her. Boasting a $9.42 billion market cap, Skechers is among the biggest footwear companies globally.

Young is quick to note how often she sees Skechers sneakers around the world, at international airports and across the country, and in service industries where working on one’s feet demands comfort. Still, Skechers is primarily a lifestyle brand in the domestic market.

Across advertisements, Skechers is best known to American consumers through the Glide-Step spots starring media personality Martha Stewart, who slides into her casual sneakers before busting out in an AI-assisted dance routine.

Historically, pop culture personalities like Snoop Dogg and retired athletes such as Tony Romo have worn Skechers. Peak performers on sports’ biggest stage typically wear tech-forward brands like Nike or Adidas.

By signing Young, an ascending athlete with a strong basketball resume, Skechers and the Aces star are taking a leap of faith to contend in the performance space and end stigmas.

“I think it’s cool because you have to be confident to wear Skechers,” Young says. “Having that confidence to be like, ‘Yeah, I wanna be with Skechers.’ I think it’s cool because there’s not very many athletes. They’re just getting back into the basketball world.”

Across the NBA and WNBA, only a dozen athletes actively play in Skechers. This tight fraternity makes it even more of a leap of faith when signing with a brand that, despite being in existence for 33 years, only started producing performance basketball footwear in 2023.

Though Young makes it clear the decision to sign with Skechers was 100% hers and not swayed by other athletes, she’s quick to note how much she admires the way the brand is presenting fellow WNBA talent such as Kiki Iriafen and Rickea Jackson.

“You see the shoots Rickea was doing?” Young said. “I was like ‘Yeah, I like who they are and what they stand for.’ We’re heading in the right direction and we’re excited about a lot of new things.”

For Young, what Skechers stands for is individuality.

“Letting me be me,” Young said, beaming. “The PEs [Player Exclusives] I had for All-Star, tapping into the streetwear side of things. Everybody knows I love crop tops. When we did our shoot? I was wearing a crop top.”

Those familiar with Young’s tunnel presence have a visual of her signature bandana, chiseled abs, and streetwear flair. With Skechers, she hopes to bridge the gap between her off-court interests and on-court dominance.

“That’s the biggest thing: being able to tell my story through Skechers and the shoes that I’m playing in,” Young said. “The SKX Nexus? I’m able to do that. I’m super excited for some PEs. We have some things in store. I won’t give away all the secrets.”

Well, how about one secret?

“You said something about bandanas earlier and I think that’ll be cool to have that on a shoe,” gushed Young. “The bandana pattern and figuring out the colorway.”

As the Aces All-Star goes all in on Skechers, it’s a bet made with the belief that the shoe company is going all in on her, too.

Player Exclusive colors have been produced, photo shoots have taken place, and her hometown of Princeton probably has more Skechers basketball shoes per capita than any town in America.

While the former No. 1 draft pick now has a chance to appear on signage and in stores all around the world, she has another secret: A global partner will grow her brand, but her heart is still back home in Princeton, where Skechers sponsored her first of many free basketball camps.

“The kids that didn’t have much growing up? That was me,” Young said. “If I can give them a pair of shoes or host a camp? That’s something that I want to do. I’m excited because Skechers is excited to do that too and it shows.”