Stephen Curry Ending Under Armour Partnership To Enter Sneaker Free Agency Sparks Frenzy – “Wants To Be Like Jordan”

Stephen Curry has been with Under Armour for more than twelve years, launching his signature Curry brand back in 2020.

Stephen Curry Ending Under Armour Partnership To Enter Sneaker Free Agency Sparks Frenzy – “Wants To Be Like Jordan”

Stephen Curry is a sneaker free agent (Image via FirstSportz)

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Usually, top-tier athletes look for endorsement deals with a big-name sportswear company that they can attach their names to for the entirety of their professional careers. Stephen Curry is an exception, as he has always tried to do it his way.

The superstar signed with Under Armour after wearing Nike for as long as he could remember. His decision to exit the latter is still considered one of the biggest failures of the sportswear giant.

Nike did not send its A-Team to that 2013 meeting. Instead, they sent Nico Harrison, who was just fired from his post as GM of the Dallas Mavericks.

At the time, he and his team did not do a good enough job to ensure the Golden State Warriors star stayed. Curry, on the advice of his father, then decided to do something different.

Signing with Under Armour, he was responsible for the growth of their basketball shoe business. Then in 2020, he created Curry Brand, which landed him $75 million in equity, which is now coming to an end.

Under Armour, Inc. and Stephen Curry today announced plans to separate Curry Brand from Under Armour,

Under Armour announced via PR Newswire

The announcement also revealed that Curry 13, his current shoe, will continue to be sold until 2026. However, the four-time champion is free to wear shoes from other brands and also court other sportswear giants to strike out a new deal.

Fans lose it as Stephen Curry becomes the hottest ticket in the sneaker market

Over the past decade, Stephen Curry has established himself as the most famous basketball star in the world. There are the likes of LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Nikola Jokic, but the Warriors star’s impact has helped the NBA reach a greater fan following.

If he could drive the value up of his team to nearly $10 billion, fans believe the next sportswear company to sign him will strike a jackpot. It is clear that the two-time league MVP is looking to create his own brand, just like Michael Jordan did.

Even if a company pays him the richest contract they can think of, fans feel it would be worth every penny. Check out examples of those reactions below:

Stephen Curry is 37 years old, which means he is on his last legs when it comes to his NBA career. However, his impact across the world could transcend far beyond his playing days. That should make him the most coveted sneaker free agent in the world.

Will Stephen Curry go back to Nike?

One of the reasons Nike fumbled Stephen Curry back in 2013 was that they did not consider him to be on the same tier as LeBron James and Kevin Durant.

Stephen Curry and Shaquille O'Neal
Stephen Curry and Shaquille O’Neal (Image via Clutch Points)

At the time, their thought process was legitimate as the point guard was a year away from becoming the superstar he eventually became. It would be prudent to think that Nike would go out of its way to sign the father of four.

However, in this day and age, there are other brands that are battling for the same piece of the pie. New brands such as Anta, On, and Hoka, along with the likes of a resurgent Reebok, could try to pitch in exclusivity.

As the latter’s President of Basketball shoes, Shaquille O’Neal could use this chance to lure the Warriors star. They do have Angel Reese as their primary signature athlete. But getting Curry would bring them back to where they once used to be.

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