Essentials Inside The Story

• Stephen Curry reflects on failed WNBA shoe pursuits.
• Under Armour faces renewed brand-strategy questions.
• Curry delivers standout performance in new sneakers.

Recently, sources revealed that the breakup between Under Armour and Stephen Curry happened because he and his team were “frustrated by what they viewed as underinvestment” by the sportswear brand. Amid this, one of the most notable incidents that added to the four-time NBA champion’s frustration was UA’s failed pursuit of signing Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark. However, that wasn’t the only ‘L’ Under Armour and Curry took from a WNBA star.

After Monday night’s impressive win over the Utah Jazz, the perennial All-Star, when asked about his choice of shoes for the game, stated that he also tried to get Sabrina Ionescu to sign with Under Armour, but ultimately failed to do so.

“We have a long history — she’s from the Bay, and just obviously following her career,” Curry told reporters. “There was a time when she was coming out of school, and I was trying to get her to Curry Brand. It’s hard to get an Oregon Duck to leave Nike. But it was cool.” The Warriors star further revealed postgame.

It is a significant loss for a brand like UA if it misses out on such deals when the market is crowded with the likes of Nike, Adidas, and Reebok. It should pinch even more because Sabrina’s line of shoes has been among the most popular basketball sneakers out there.

In fact, according to a few reports, the Sabrina 2s were the second most-worn shoes by NBA players during the 2024-25 season, which speaks volumes. What’s most interesting is the fact that the WNBA star seemingly just has a $24 million multi-year deal with Nike.

If we were to judge the business she has brought in for the sportswear brand, her contract isn’t that huge. So, it could’ve been a great deal not just for Stephen Curry, but also for Under Armour. Unfortunately, just like the Caitlin Clark situation, they couldn’t capitalize on the opportunity. However, Curry did make the most of his time wearing Sabrina’s line of sneakers on Monday.

Stephen Curry makes history repping the Sabrina 3s

It was a memorable night for Golden State Warriors veteran Stephen Curry as he entered the Chase Center on Monday. Not just because this was the first time the point guard was wearing a pair of Nikes since 2013, but also because of what he did donning the ‘Iones Crew’ Sabrina 3s. It seems like the new shoes brought along some luck, as Curry went off against Utah.

The 37-year-old scored 31 points along with four rebounds and two assists against the Utah Jazz in 29 minutes. He also had an impressive 50 percent shooting from the field, including 35.3 percent accuracy from the three-point line. While this performance alone was terrific enough, as he led the Warriors to a 134-117 win over Lauri Markkanen and Co., Curry also made a bit of history during this game.

Curry’s fantastic 31-point night assured that he etched his name in the history books yet again. Now, Stephen Curry holds the record for most 30-point games played in under 30 minutes, as he clocked in just 29 minutes on Monday. Now, the veteran and his team will shift their focus toward their next assignment. Meanwhile, the fans will wonder what sneakers the Warriors star will wear next.