Under Armour (NYSE:UA)(NYSE:UAA) investors who aren't over the news that the company and NBA star Steph Curry have parted ways may have wanted to look away as things got worse over the weekend.
Here's the latest on Curry's sneakers and what could be next for the all-time NBA three-point leader.
Curry Ready For Change
Curry made the switch from Nike Inc (NYSE:NKE) to Under Armour in 2013, four years after beginning his NBA career and starting with the apparel giant.
The switch was done for a number of reasons, including a report that Nike mispronounced Curry's name during the pitch and included slides that had Kevin Durant's name on them instead of Curry's, a move that showed a lack of seriousness to Curry's father, former NBA player Dell Curry.
Under Armour and Curry recently announced the separation of the two, including Curry maintaining rights to the Curry Brand, which was launched in 2020. The company will release the final Curry 13 shoe in February 2026, with additional color versions of the shoe and apparel, maintaining a 2026 launch schedule.
Curry is free to pursue a new shoe deal with any apparel company and to take the intellectual property of Curry Brand with him.
The NBA star wasted little time sparking speculation on where he could end up in the future.
On Friday night, ahead of a contest between the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs, Curry was spotted wearing Nike Mambacita Kobe 6 shoes during warm-ups. Curry later switched to his own signature Curry Brand shoes for the game.
This marked a rare time that Curry hasn't had Under Armour or Curry Brand shoes on his feet at a basketball game.
Curry spoke after the game that wearing the shoes was a tribute to the late NBA legend Kobe Bryant, but also shared more details on his future.
"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 told the media after Friday's game, as reported by The Athletic.
Curry said the sneaker industry is "difficult" and acknowledged that things change over time.
"I'm a free agent. I'm out here, new beginnings."
Curry said he's proud of what he accomplished with Under Armour and is "excited about the future."
Read Also: 5 Fun Facts You Might Not Know About NBA Star Steph Curry
Where Will Curry Land?
Curry choosing to wear Nike shoes after the Under Armour split could mark a moment of foreshadowing — if he chooses to go back to the company he started his NBA career. Of course, the Nike shoes he wore could simply be a moment of tribute to Bryant
Nike could mark one of the logical choices given Nike's massive spending on endorsements and signature shoes for many athletes. Nike could also mark the most crowded place for Curry, given the number of signature shoe deals they already have and a lack of ability for the star to stand out.
On Monday, it was announced that Detroit Pistons star Cade Cunningham will be the sixth active NBA player to have a signature shoe with Nike, as reported by ESPN. Cunningham signed a new six-year endorsement to stay with Nike. The signature shoe is expected to launch in the second half of the 2026-2027 season.
Outside of Nike, Curry has plenty of options available, including the following:
New Balance: Has several NBA stars signed, including 2025 number one overall pick Cooper Flagg
Adidas: NBA athlete roster includes Trae Young, Damian Lillard and James Harden
PUMA: Tyrese Haliburton and LaMelo Ball are signed
Reebok: Shaquille O'Neal is president of Reebok Basketball and has been trying to land top NBA stars
ANTA: Chinese brand that has Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson signed
Li-Ning: Chinese brand that has Dwyane Wade and Jimmy Butler signed
Skechers: Newer entrant into NBA deals with Joel Embiid, Julius Randle and OG Anunoby signed
Of the companies above, Curry joining any could be a major catalyst and help improve the company's sales and brand awareness. For Curry, if he's looking to expand the Curry Brand, stand out and help build a company, joining one of the non-Nike or Adidas companies could make the most sense.
Curry remains incredibly popular in the NBA and had the top-selling jersey in the 2023-2024 season and the second most popular jersey in the 2024-2025 season. Curry was the number two most viewed player across NBA social media and digital profiles for the 2024-2025 season.
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