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Steph Curry Becomes Sneaker Free Agent: Will Nike Win Him Back or Could a Dark Horse Prevail?

MarketDash Editorial Team
20 days ago
After splitting from Under Armour, Steph Curry showed up to Friday's game wearing Nike Kobes. The NBA superstar says he's ready for "new beginnings" and plans to explore all options in what could be one of the biggest endorsement moves in basketball.

If you're an Under Armour Inc. (UA) or Under Armour Inc. (UAA) investor still processing the news that Steph Curry has moved on, Friday night probably didn't help. The NBA superstar showed up to warm-ups wearing Nike shoes, and suddenly the internet had a field day with speculation about where one of basketball's biggest names will land next.

Here's what happened and why Curry's next move could reshape the sneaker industry landscape.

How We Got Here

Let's rewind. Curry started his NBA career in 2009 wearing Nike Inc. (NKE) shoes, but switched to Under Armour in 2013. The move became legendary in endorsement lore partly because of how badly Nike botched their pitch. According to reports, Nike mispronounced Curry's name during the presentation and accidentally left Kevin Durant's name on some slides. Curry's father, former NBA player Dell Curry, saw this as a sign that Nike wasn't taking his son seriously.

Fast forward to today, and Curry and Under Armour have officially uncoupled. The separation announcement included some important details: Curry gets to keep all rights to the Curry Brand, which launched in 2020. Under Armour will release the final Curry 13 shoe in February 2026, along with additional colorways and apparel throughout that year. After that, Curry is free to take his intellectual property anywhere he wants.

The Nike Moment That Started Everything

On Friday night, before the Golden State Warriors faced the San Antonio Spurs, Curry emerged for warm-ups wearing Nike Mambacita Kobe 6 shoes. He switched back to his Curry Brand signature shoes for the actual game, but the damage was done. Social media exploded with theories about whether this was foreshadowing or just a tribute to the late Kobe Bryant.

Curry addressed it head-on after the game, telling media it was indeed a tribute to Bryant. But then he said something even more interesting.

"I'm gonna have some fun with this, and like the question in terms of being open to whatever opportunity is the right fit, I'm going to try everything, though," Curry said, according to The Athletic.

He acknowledged the sneaker industry is "difficult" and that things change over time. Then came the money quote: "I'm a free agent. I'm out here, new beginnings."

Curry added that he's proud of what he built with Under Armour and is "excited about the future." Translation: he's shopping around, and every major sneaker brand should be warming up their pitch decks.

The Nike Question

Could Curry actually return to Nike after all these years? The fact that he wore their shoes first after the split certainly raises eyebrows. Nike has the deepest pockets in the industry and already sponsors a roster of NBA superstars. But that's also the problem. Standing out at Nike might be harder when you're competing for attention with LeBron, Durant, and now Cade Cunningham, who just signed a six-year deal for his own signature shoe launching in the second half of the 2026-2027 season. Cunningham will be the sixth active NBA player with a Nike signature shoe.

For someone like Curry, who's already established and wants to expand his brand, getting lost in Nike's crowded stable might not be ideal.

The Dark Horse Candidates

This is where things get interesting. Curry has options that could give him more room to build something special:

New Balance: Already signed several NBA stars including Cooper Flagg, the 2025 number one overall pick. Could position Curry as the face of their basketball expansion.

Adidas: Features Trae Young, Damian Lillard, and James Harden. Has the infrastructure and history in basketball to make a compelling offer.

PUMA: Signed Tyrese Haliburton and LaMelo Ball. Growing their basketball presence and could use a veteran star to anchor the roster.

Reebok: Here's a wild card. Shaquille O'Neal is president of Reebok Basketball and has been actively trying to recruit top NBA talent. Shaq and Curry together? That would generate headlines.

ANTA: The Chinese brand has Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson signed. Curry's popularity in China is massive, making this a financially attractive option.

Li-Ning: Another Chinese brand with Dwyane Wade and Jimmy Butler on board. Same China market appeal as ANTA.

Skechers: The newest entrant with Joel Embiid, Julius Randle, and OG Anunoby signed. Could offer Curry maximum flexibility and a chance to build something from near-scratch.

Why This Matters

Curry isn't just any NBA player looking for a shoe deal. He had the top-selling jersey in the 2023-2024 season and the second most popular jersey in 2024-2025. He was the number two most viewed player across NBA social media and digital platforms for the 2024-2025 season. Whatever brand lands him will see an immediate boost in sales and brand awareness.

For Curry, the decision likely comes down to whether he wants the security and resources of a Nike or Adidas, or the opportunity to be the centerpiece at a smaller brand where he can truly build the Curry Brand into something distinctive. Given that he negotiated to keep full intellectual property rights, it seems like he's thinking long-term about building an empire, not just cashing endorsement checks.

One thing's certain: Curry plans to have fun with this process. And for sneaker industry watchers, the next few months should be entertaining as brands compete for one of basketball's biggest names.

Back to News

Steph Curry Becomes Sneaker Free Agent: Will Nike Win Him Back or Could a Dark Horse Prevail?

MarketDash Editorial Team
20 days ago
After splitting from Under Armour, Steph Curry showed up to Friday's game wearing Nike Kobes. The NBA superstar says he's ready for "new beginnings" and plans to explore all options in what could be one of the biggest endorsement moves in basketball.

If you're an Under Armour Inc. (UA) or Under Armour Inc. (UAA) investor still processing the news that Steph Curry has moved on, Friday night probably didn't help. The NBA superstar showed up to warm-ups wearing Nike shoes, and suddenly the internet had a field day with speculation about where one of basketball's biggest names will land next.

Here's what happened and why Curry's next move could reshape the sneaker industry landscape.

How We Got Here

Let's rewind. Curry started his NBA career in 2009 wearing Nike Inc. (NKE) shoes, but switched to Under Armour in 2013. The move became legendary in endorsement lore partly because of how badly Nike botched their pitch. According to reports, Nike mispronounced Curry's name during the presentation and accidentally left Kevin Durant's name on some slides. Curry's father, former NBA player Dell Curry, saw this as a sign that Nike wasn't taking his son seriously.

Fast forward to today, and Curry and Under Armour have officially uncoupled. The separation announcement included some important details: Curry gets to keep all rights to the Curry Brand, which launched in 2020. Under Armour will release the final Curry 13 shoe in February 2026, along with additional colorways and apparel throughout that year. After that, Curry is free to take his intellectual property anywhere he wants.

The Nike Moment That Started Everything

On Friday night, before the Golden State Warriors faced the San Antonio Spurs, Curry emerged for warm-ups wearing Nike Mambacita Kobe 6 shoes. He switched back to his Curry Brand signature shoes for the actual game, but the damage was done. Social media exploded with theories about whether this was foreshadowing or just a tribute to the late Kobe Bryant.

Curry addressed it head-on after the game, telling media it was indeed a tribute to Bryant. But then he said something even more interesting.

"I'm gonna have some fun with this, and like the question in terms of being open to whatever opportunity is the right fit, I'm going to try everything, though," Curry said, according to The Athletic.

He acknowledged the sneaker industry is "difficult" and that things change over time. Then came the money quote: "I'm a free agent. I'm out here, new beginnings."

Curry added that he's proud of what he built with Under Armour and is "excited about the future." Translation: he's shopping around, and every major sneaker brand should be warming up their pitch decks.

The Nike Question

Could Curry actually return to Nike after all these years? The fact that he wore their shoes first after the split certainly raises eyebrows. Nike has the deepest pockets in the industry and already sponsors a roster of NBA superstars. But that's also the problem. Standing out at Nike might be harder when you're competing for attention with LeBron, Durant, and now Cade Cunningham, who just signed a six-year deal for his own signature shoe launching in the second half of the 2026-2027 season. Cunningham will be the sixth active NBA player with a Nike signature shoe.

For someone like Curry, who's already established and wants to expand his brand, getting lost in Nike's crowded stable might not be ideal.

The Dark Horse Candidates

This is where things get interesting. Curry has options that could give him more room to build something special:

New Balance: Already signed several NBA stars including Cooper Flagg, the 2025 number one overall pick. Could position Curry as the face of their basketball expansion.

Adidas: Features Trae Young, Damian Lillard, and James Harden. Has the infrastructure and history in basketball to make a compelling offer.

PUMA: Signed Tyrese Haliburton and LaMelo Ball. Growing their basketball presence and could use a veteran star to anchor the roster.

Reebok: Here's a wild card. Shaquille O'Neal is president of Reebok Basketball and has been actively trying to recruit top NBA talent. Shaq and Curry together? That would generate headlines.

ANTA: The Chinese brand has Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson signed. Curry's popularity in China is massive, making this a financially attractive option.

Li-Ning: Another Chinese brand with Dwyane Wade and Jimmy Butler on board. Same China market appeal as ANTA.

Skechers: The newest entrant with Joel Embiid, Julius Randle, and OG Anunoby signed. Could offer Curry maximum flexibility and a chance to build something from near-scratch.

Why This Matters

Curry isn't just any NBA player looking for a shoe deal. He had the top-selling jersey in the 2023-2024 season and the second most popular jersey in 2024-2025. He was the number two most viewed player across NBA social media and digital platforms for the 2024-2025 season. Whatever brand lands him will see an immediate boost in sales and brand awareness.

For Curry, the decision likely comes down to whether he wants the security and resources of a Nike or Adidas, or the opportunity to be the centerpiece at a smaller brand where he can truly build the Curry Brand into something distinctive. Given that he negotiated to keep full intellectual property rights, it seems like he's thinking long-term about building an empire, not just cashing endorsement checks.

One thing's certain: Curry plans to have fun with this process. And for sneaker industry watchers, the next few months should be entertaining as brands compete for one of basketball's biggest names.