1909 ET [Dow Jones]--Nike's waning relevance is partially due to its focus on basketball, UBS analysts say in a note. Basketball has historically been an area of strength for Nike, with the company using the category to define itself as the best, coolest sports brand with partnerships with star athletes such as Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, the analysts say. But today, consumers don't seem as focused on professional basketball, they say. NBA Finals TV ratings have been lackluster in recent years, and college basketball is producing fewer stars today versus the past, they say. "Nike's superpower is based in part on being able to maintain an image of being the best sports brand despite selling a lot of commodity products. Basketball was a vehicle for being able to do that," they say. "It's unclear whether Nike can use basketball in the same way today." (kelly.cloonan@wsj.com)

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

April 14, 2026 19:11 ET (23:11 GMT)

Copyright (c) 2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.