UCLA's Kiki Rice has grown 'so much' on Final Four run. So has her sneaker collection
Editor's note: Follow UConn vs. UCLA live updates from the Final Four.
TAMPA, Fla. — UCLA guard Kiki Rice is living a sneakerhead’s dream.
At just 18 years old in 2022, she became the first athlete to ink an NIL deal with Jordan Brand. Since then, Rice has received her own custom colorway of Jordan’s first women’s basketball shoe, the Heir Series. And even better, she has just about every Jordan shoe a person could want.
“I probably have upwards of 400 shoes,” Rice said. “They send me packages pretty often and everything, so I definitely don’t have any shortage of shoes.”
Watch UCLA vs. UConn in Final Four on Fubo (free trial)
Rice has been an aficionado since getting her first pair of Jordan 1s as a kid. Now, her love for the brand has made her into a trailblazer for women’s sports.
“To sign with them and have a shoe speaks to the growth of the women’s game,” Rice said. “For me to be the first NIL athlete and for them to choose a female college athlete to represent the brand first, it was a really incredible honor for me and I’m very excited to be a part of it."
This season, Rice has been instrumental in the Bruins reaching their first Final Four in program history. She is averaging 13.5 points and a team-high 7.3 assists per game so far this March Madness, running the offense as the Bruins’ main table-setter. Although she’s been an impact player since she arrived on campus as a five-star recruit, her main growth this year has come off the court.
“The vocal aspect is something that she was still working on, but I've seen so much growth from her, and I'm really proud of her,” UCLA center Lauren Betts said. “I know it's not easy at times to hold people accountable and be the mean one, but at this point, it's taken us so far.”
Rice and UCLA have the tall task of trying to upset mighty UConn in the Final Four, but her confidence has only grown more the deeper the Bruins’ run has gotten. And it helps when you’re dressed for success.
UCLA vs. UConn: Date, time, TV channel, where to watch
- Date: Friday, April 4
- Time: 9:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida
- TV Channel: ESPN
- Live Stream: Fubo
Bo Underwood is a student in the University of Georgia's Sports Media Certificate program.