Nike inks Oklahoma guard Aaliyah Chavez to NIL shoe deal

Nike has added another superstar to its growing roster of women’s basketball talent. The company announced Friday that Aaliyah Chavez, the consensus No. 1 overall recruit in the 2025 class and a freshman at Oklahoma, has signed an NIL shoe deal.

“The women’s game is on the rise, and Nike and its athletes are a huge reason for that growth,” Chavez said, via press release. “Partnering with Nike to help grow the game even more is really exciting. I want to show the next generation of young girls that if you put your mind to it, you can achieve it.”

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Chavez joined top 2026 recruits Brandon McCoy and Tyran Stokes as the newest members of Nike’s basketball NIL roster. The Oklahoma freshman has a $755,000 On3 NIL Valuation.

The 5-foot-9 guard has been widely regarded as the top prospect in the nation, cementing her place as a special talent. She was named both the Gatorade National Player of the Year and the Naismith High School Girls Basketball Player of the Year after leading Monterey High School to its first-ever state championship. Chavez finished her high school career with 4,796 career points, ranking among the Top 25 all-time nationally in high school girls basketball history.

Her senior year was particularly remarkable. Chavez averaged 34.9 points, 9.1 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 3.7 steals per game, guiding Monterey to a 37-5 record and proving she could dominate in every facet of the game. The numbers alone make it clear why powerhouse programs across the country were chasing her commitment.

Texas, Texas Tech, UCLA, and South Carolina all pushed hard for Chavez. She even took a late visit to Austin for one of the Longhorns’ final regular-season games. But ultimately, Oklahoma — led by head coach Jennie Baranczyk — won out. Chavez visited Norman during the Sooners’ first-round NCAA Tournament victory, where she was greeted by a warm welcome from school leaders, players, and fans.

“OU is definitely a great experience,” Chavez told SoonerScoop. “They play great basketball, play fast — that’s how I play. And I just have a great relationship with all of the coaches. She’s a great coach. I have a great relationship with her and just the way they play matches the way I play.”

Chavez also spoke to to On3’s Talia Goodman. In that interview, she explained why Oklahoma’s energy and stability made all the difference for her.

“The most important thing is to make sure I’m in a place where I have high energy,” Chavez said over the summer. “I don’t want a coach that’s low energy, and I need to make sure that they’re going to be there the whole time [I am]. I don’t want a coach that’s just going to be there for two years … I want them to be there all four years. Because that’s what I’m getting recruited off of, right? I want to be there all four years.”

With her decision made, Chavez can now focus on making the transition to college basketball while building her brand with Nike. For Oklahoma, securing her commitment alongside the backing of one of the biggest names in sportswear could be transformative for the program.

And for Chavez herself, the stage is set. With her talent and Nike’s “Just Do It” mantra behind her, the next chapter of her career is poised to be as groundbreaking as her historic high school run was.

— On3’s Keegan Pope contributed to this article.