May 2, 2024
Locked On Women’s Basketball: Moolah Kicks and women’s basketball growth with CEO Natalie White
By The Next
White talks building a women's sneaker brand, top NCAA moments and more
On today’s episode of Locked On Women’s Basketball, Moolah Kicks CEO Natalie White joins host Gigi Speer to talk about bringing basketball sneakers designed for women to the market. Founded in 2020, Moolah Kicks now has multiple fits, including a design specifically for young players, NIL deals with NCAA athletes across the country, and partnered with Courtney Williams on a signature shoe in 2023.
Continue reading with a subscription to The Next
Get unlimited access to women’s basketball coverage and help support our hardworking staff of writers, editors, and photographers by subscribing today.
Already a member?
Login
“We found so much success with kind of that top tier high school level player all the way down through our new kids line and elementary school,” White explained. “We of course have athlete ambassadors in the NCAA and the [WNBA]. So those have been huge plays for us as well. But the thing about Moolah is that it’s for every hooper, you know, and these are sneakers that fit your feet no matter what level you play at. They are engineered for the top level, that way you can be sure that they’re really gonna perform under the pressure of anywhere, from our junior shoes in fourth and fifth grade, all the way up through high school and now pro.”
Get 24/7 soccer coverage with The Equalizer
The Next is partnering with The Equalizer to bring more women’s sports stories to your inbox. Subscribers to The Next receive 50% off their subscription to The Equalizer for 24/7 coverage of women’s soccer.
The two then discussed some of White’s observations from observing the NCAA season as an equipment vendor, and areas she says the sport still needs to evolve on.
“I think the biggest … thing that stood out to me is how far behind we are in terms of equipment,” White said. “With women’s basketball, seeing almost all of the players out on the floor wearing sneakers named [after] and fit for male athletes, it’s really crazy to see because you’re on the biggest stage, arguably of your life, to date. And you’re you’ve gotten there despite wearing equipment that is hindering your game. And it’s putting you at risk for knee, ankle and leg injury. And so to see all of the players, despite all these crowds going crazy for [them], despite 18 million people tuning in, you see almost every single one of them wearing men’s shoes.”
“I think for so long in women’s basketball, we were just happy to be a part of it. And so we wanted to be a part of that culture. But we’re so big, right, and we’re only getting bigger, that now’s the time for us to be creating that culture, to be wearing sneakers that are named after our own game, to continue to promote having our own sneakers, having our own brand. And so that would be the number one thing that I would call out is how far behind the performance equipment is versus how much love there is for the game. And of course, Moolah, that’s what we’re changing. We have that offering and a lot of the college players are wearing it in their offseason. But when they take the college courts, that’s the first thing I notice,” she continued.
Add Locked On Women’s Basketball to your daily routine
Here at The Next, in addition to the 24/7/365 written content our staff provides, we also host the daily Locked On Women’s Basketball podcast. Join us Monday through Saturday each week as we discuss all things WNBA, collegiate basketball, basketball history and much more. Listen wherever you find podcasts or watch on YouTube.
Tune in to hear more from White about developing the Moolah Kicks brand, her favorite moments from the NCAA season and what she’s looking forward to about the upcoming WNBA season, and more. Make sure to subscribe to the Locked On Women’s Basketball podcast to keep learning about the WNBA, women’s college basketball, basketball history and much more!
