Celebrity Name: Aaliyah Edwards
Brand Name: Colgate (Colgate Canada)
Deal Type: Brand Partnership / Endorsement Campaign
Announced: February 2026
Impact: Strengthens Edwards’ endorsement portfolio, reinforces Colgate’s connection to confidence, resilience, and women’s sports storytelling
- WNBA star Aaliyah Edwards has teamed up with Colgate for a new campaign, making it her first brand deal of the year.
- The campaign’s core message centers on self-confidence, with Edwards sharing how she gives herself grace on and off the court, with her smile as a symbol of that strength.
- This partnership adds to an already impressive NIL/endorsement portfolio that included Factor_, Intuit, and Oakley Meta in 2025.
- Colgate is leaning into the WNBA’s rising star power, tapping Edwards as a relatable, authentic voice for its brand in Canada and beyond.
Connecticut Sun forward Aaliyah Edwards is starting 2026 on a high note, and it’s got nothing to do with what she’s doing on the basketball court.
The 23-year-old WNBA star has officially partnered with Colgate for a new campaign that’s as personal as it is powerful. In it, Edwards opens up about giving herself grace, both in competition and in everyday life, and positions her smile as a core part of her identity and strength. Colgate, naturally, is right there keeping it bright.
For Edwards, this marks her first brand deal of 2026, kicking off a year that’s already been eventful. Just weeks ago, she was inducted into UConn’s prestigious Huskies of Honor, joining legends like Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird, and Maya Moore.
Off the court, Edwards has been building a strong brand portfolio. In 2025 alone, she partnered with Factor_ (meal delivery), Intuit (financial software), and Oakley Meta (smart eyewear), proving she’s not just a rising WNBA talent, but a marketable athlete with real range.
Similar to how Cameron Brink partnered with Optimum Nutrition to build her off-court identity, Edwards is strategically aligning herself with brands that reflect her lifestyle and values.
WNBA athletes securing lifestyle and personal care brand deals is becoming a genuine trend. Aneesah Morrow’s multi-year deal with Reebok and FlaJae Johnson’s campaign with Samsung and Google Gemini are two examples of the league’s growing endorsement power. And Edwards is firmly in that conversation.
With the 2026 WNBA season approaching, don’t expect this to be the last brand deal we hear about from Aaliyah Edwards this year.
Takeaways
Aaliyah Edwards isn’t just building a basketball career, she’s building a brand. The Colgate partnership is smart on multiple levels. It’s personal (tied to her real message about self-confidence), it’s timely (her profile is at an all-time high after the UConn honor and Unrivaled season), and it’s strategic (consumer lifestyle deals translate far beyond sports audiences).
What’s especially notable is that Colgate Canada specifically chose her, a Canadian-born athlete from Kingston, Ontario, adding an authentic hometown angle that local audiences will connect with.
The WNBA is no longer just a league for basketball fans. It’s a platform for storytelling, culture, and commerce. Edwards is leaning into all three.
How might this Colgate partnership influence which brands pursue Aaliyah Edwards next? Are women’s basketball stars finally getting the commercial spotlight they deserve?
