“I’m going to have some fun with this in terms of being open to whatever opportunities are the right fit. I’ll try everything out,” Stephen Curry said, as he officially entered sneaker free agency after 13 years. Suddenly, he was a walking, talking dream for every shoe brand: an elite athlete with no contract, a total marketing jackpot… While fans and internet sleuths were busy predicting an unexpected reunion with Nike, the twist came faster than any of us anticipated. Reebok has jumped in, trying to snag Curry’s signature step before anyone could blink.

Stephen Curry turned heads on Tuesday at the Kia Center, stepping out in a fresh yet vintage look for the game against the Magic. The point guard rocked a pair of white-and-black Reebok Shaqnosis sneakers, a throwback to 2005 that felt like a cheeky nod to Shaquille O’Neal.

The Big Diesel himself weighed in on the style moment, revealing, “Well, he is a good, personal friend of mine, and I think our people are having conversation with his people, I think… It was a big moment for me, a big moment for the brand. It puts everyone in a ‘What’s he gonna do?’ phase, so I wish him well.”

Reebok hasn’t locked in Curry yet, but the conversations are definitely happening. And even Shaq, now running Reebok Basketball, chose his words carefully when hinting at how early things are. Still, you can’t help but imagine the plot twist.

Their two-year rebuild is already heating up, powered by Angel Reese’s breakout signature sneaker and Matas Buzelis giving the brand an NBA foothold. Landing Stephen Curry would launch them into an entirely different universe.

But news flash: Curry is clearly not ready to marry yet. He’s treating the NBA tunnel like his own personal sneaker runway. In Orlando, he arrived in the Shaqnosis and then immediately swapped into a pair of neon Nike Air Penny 2 “Volt” for warmups, a bright, retro nod to the 90s Orlando era.

If that wasn’t enough of a breadcrumb, he’s also laced up his late mentor’s shoes: the Nike Kobe 6 “Mambacita Sweet 16.”

Curry explained afterward, “I just wanted to take advantage of that moment and pay tribute. I think it gave me some good energy tonight.” Then, against the Heat, even though he didn’t play, the Dubs vet turned up in D-Wade’s “Stingray” Way of Wade 1.

So, where does that leave the Reebok buzz? Somewhere between ‘this could actually happen’ and ‘everyone chill.’

When Steph first bailed on Nike for Under Armour, that $4 million-a-year deal felt huge. Then UA tossed him a $75 million stock extension before 2024, even though the season had wrapped. So if he ever entertains a Reebok jump or any brand knocking, that number’s only going one direction: up. Way up.

Back in 2023, when O’Neal slid into the President’s chair at Reebok Basketball, he didn’t hide the mission. “A big part of my role will be leveraging my network … and doing deals with people,” he said. Pairing up with Curry would be a significant legacy flex for the apparel brand. And Curry wouldn’t be revisiting old lanes; he’d be teaming up with a legend trying to drag a vintage giant back into the spotlight.

Now it’s simply on Curry to decide which sneaker he laces up next.

The real reason Stephen Curry walked away from Under Armour

Curry didn’t just wake up one morning, toss his sneakers in a box, and ghost Under Armour. The Curry Brand and UA partnership had a long, successful run, but behind the glamor of it all, the company was quietly tightening its belt. UA expanded its 2025 restructuring plan, intending to incur another $95 million (including the Curry split), trimmed staff, and wrote off assets, hardly the kind of atmosphere where a growing signature brand can spread its wings. And while the breakup was framed as Curry wanting more independence, the financial smoke coming from Baltimore hinted at a much bigger fire.

For Curry, the split wasn’t a meltdown so much as a mindset shift. “What Curry Brand stands for, what I stand for, and my commitment to that mission will never change; it’s only growing stronger,” he told reporters after parting ways.

That mission, building something purpose-driven, youth-focused, culturally resonant, was always baked into the Curry Brand when it launched in 2020. But inside a parent company that kept talking about “performance DNA,” both parties deviated from the common goal of being relatable to modern-day youth. There’s no point taking a side here, but ask yourself, how many youngsters buy sneakers to actually play a good game of ball, or just look cool?

So now he’s unshackled, steering his own ship, just as UA recalibrates and forecasts only $100 – $120 million in Curry Brand revenue for 2026. Meanwhile, Curry is out here experimenting with every sneaker label.