Today, global sports company PUMA has announced the signing of the No. 2 overall pick from the 2022 WNBA draft NaLyssa Smith to its basketball roster.
“I am thrilled to be joining the PUMA Hoops family and to rock PUMA both on and off the court,” said Smith. “PUMA’s dedication to being a champion for women athletes along with being disruptive in the basketball sneaker space mixing sport innovation with style made this a perfect fit for me. I couldn’t be more excited to start my rookie season being part of such an iconic brand and joining an incredible roster of PUMA Hoops athletes.”
Smith graduated from Baylor in 2021, where she gained numerous accolades including the 2021 Wade Trophy Winner, 2021 All-American first team, 2019 NCAA Champion, and 2018 McDonald’s All American. She started her rookie season earlier this May with the Indiana Fever adding her talents to PUMA’s roster of young WBNA and NBA athletes including LaMelo Ball, Breanna Stewart, Skylar Diggins-Smith, Deandre Ayton, Katie Lou Samuelson, RJ Barrett and more.
The signing comes as PUMA continues its commitment to pushing women’s sports forward. In partnership with PUMA Hoops Creative Director June Ambrose, the brand officially launched its Women’s Hoops category in December 2021 with a basketball-inspired lifestyle collection, PUMA High Court, coached and designed by June Ambrose.
In 2020, PUMA launched the SHE MOVES US platform, this year PUMA expanded the SHE MOVES US platform with a focus on its top female sports ambassadors, celebrating the women who have moved sports forward to inspire other women around the world. Smith will be featured in PUMA Hoops campaigns and product launches tied to SHE MOVES US.
source Berk Communications
