Golden State Warriors legend Stephen Curry is the latest NBA star to hit free agency, but the four-time champion and unanimous MVP isn’t moving away from the Bay Area. Over the past few weeks, serious drama has emerged between Curry and longtime sponsor Under Armor as Curry’s contract expires. Following this, Curry was seen rocking several sneaker brands both on the court and in the tunnel, narrowing his final choice down to three brands.
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Steph Curry first signed to Under Armor in 2013, becoming the face of their basketball line and one of the first big-name athletes to join. The two sides released eight standalone, name-bearing models until the creation of the subset Curry brand in 2020. With Stephen Curry serving as president, he managed to sign other NBA talents such as the Spurs’ De’Aaron Fox and the Heat’s Davion Mitchell.
Curry’s split with Under Armour
The Under Armor basketball account on Instagram took followers from the Curry brand account after the NBA star parted ways with the brand.
(via @SoleRetriever) pic.twitter.com/miOrsXIOy8
– The Sporting News (@sportingnews) 19 February 2026
During contract negotiations and initial consideration that the Curry brand would move away from Under Armour, Under Armor displaced all Curry brand social media followers on their main Under Armor page. The move has caused a stir throughout the sneaker community as Curry continues to rock other brands during basketball activities. Fans have also taken notice and come to the defense of their favorite NBA star.
Where will Stephen Curry sign next?
under armor
While there may be rifts between the two sides, it’s hard to distance yourself from a partnership that has lasted nearly Curry’s entire career. In sneaker terms, Curry leaving Under Armor would be the equivalent of leaving the Warriors, which fans don’t even want to think about at this point. Keeping all of its assets organized and within Under Armor could help promote the Curry brand even more in the years to come.
Nike
There’s no doubt that most athletes would jump at the idea of joining the biggest sports brand in the world. Nike has a long history with the best of the game like LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Michael Jordan, so it would make sense to make Curry its fourth Lifetime Athlete. Additionally, Curry has a close relationship with WNBA star Sabrina Ionescu, who is making history with her current Nike Sabrina signature sneaker line.
However, during their 2013 pitch to originally sign Curry, Nike made a huge mistake by mispronouncing “Stephen” and failing to prioritize him as a top athlete. Since Curry has been rocking a number of Nike sneakers before and during recent NBA games, there may be a chance he’s ready to make a mistake and bring the Curry brand to unimaginable heights.
end
The final brand that Soul Retriever originally reported made Curry’s final cut is Chinese sportswear brand ANTA. Curry has been seen endorsing recent ANTA sneakers during games thanks to his performance. However, Curry’s own “splash brother” Klay Thompson has been signed to ANTA since 2014 after leaving Nike, so he may be in Curry’s ear about the budding brand.
Additionally, Mavs’ Kyrie Irving serves as the Chief Creative Officer for ANTA and recently opened their first flagship location in the United States. Speaking with Sports Illustrated, Curry admitted that he respects emerging brands as he did when he joined Under Armor 13 years ago.
Curry is expected to make his decision in the coming weeks, with the NBA offseason likely being the latest deadline for an announcement. Remaining at Under Armor is the least likely outcome at this point and we’re all anxiously waiting to see where the Curry brand establishes its new roots.
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