The split between Stephen Curry and Under Armour was supposed to be a business reset. Instead, it’s spiraling into what many around the league are quietly describing as a betrayal by the $3.3 billion apparel giant that once built its basketball identity around him. Now, Curry’s sneaker free agency isn’t just about finding a new logo – it’s about navigating the fallout of a fractured partnership that may be complicating his next move.

For a four-time NBA champion and global icon, the open market should feel like a victory lap. But since severing ties with Under Armour in November, Curry’s path has been anything but straightforward. He’s rotated through various sneakers during games, subtly signaling availability, yet no new deal has materialized. The hesitation isn’t just about fit or finances; it’s about leverage, legacy, and the shadow cast by his former brand.

Despite being one of the most marketable stars in the league, Curry is entering a sneaker economy far different from the boom era of the early 2000s. As ESPN insider Brian Windhorst recently noted, “At the time (2003), yes. In today’s market, basketball shoes aren’t selling like back then. It’s currently not fashionable to wear basketball shoes when not playing ball… the number of players getting deals & the shoe deals themselves are way way way down,” Windhorst stated when asked about Nike’s influence in the sneaker market.

Windhorst has a point here, as people have gone past wearing basketball shoes on a day-to-day basis, which was once a rage, especially when the new Jordans came out. The trends are different now, and the market is in a far worse condition than it was a couple of decades ago, so it could be a challenge for Curry to find a new partner.

Meanwhile, Under Armour released their final Curry Brand shoes in February ahead of the NBA All-Star Weekend – the Curry 13s. Unfortunately, the Warriors didn’t promote them, and they have revealed that he won’t wear them in any NBA games. Following this release, UA is looking to restructure its business with the focus on cutting costs.

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They have ended agreements with college athletics programs, moved away from the 2016 deal with Major League Baseball, and have also parted ways with several athlete endorsements.

Despite all the chaos, Curry felt he had full authority over the Curry Brand and its intellectual property, as he had agreed with Under Armour. But things recently took a drastic turn.

Under Armour violates contractual terms regarding the Stephen Curry Brand

When Curry joined forces with Under Armour, it felt like the $3.3 billion brand was taking a major gamble on a youngster, but it turned out to be a massive win for both parties. However, winning him over was not easy, as they had to promise him a signature sneaker line and an annual salary higher than his previous partner, Nike, would match.

It was a sensational deal for UA, as its stock peaked at more than $53 a share in 2015, mainly due to Curry winning consecutive MVP honors with the Warriors. However, his signature sneaker line never really blew up in the market against its Nike counterparts.

The infamous Curry 2 “Chef” low-top sneakers, released during the 2016 Finals, were not particularly a crowd favourite. Also, none of his shoes sold well in the resale market, highlighting their lack of demand even among collectors.

The Curry Brand was launched in 2020 to celebrate the superstar’s journey with Under Armour. In 2023, UA secured him on a lifetime deal and also promised to let Curry retain his “logo, trademark, and brand in case of a breakup. But with their current actions, it seems like they are going back on their terms.

During the split, the Curry Brand on Instagram had half a million followers, but the account soon started losing followers daily at a consistent rate, and in December 2025, Under Armour’s Instagram account coincidentally gained around half a million followers, the same number that the Curry Brand had lost.

According to Sole Retriever, “Multiple sources familiar with the situation have told us this shift occurred internally, sharing details regarding the sequence of events leading to the change. We have also been told that specific requirements were communicated to Stephen Curry in order to retain ownership and control of these Curry Brand assets (including followers), and that his failure to meet those requirements resulted in the transfer of associated digital assets.”

While there’s no clarity on the requirements from Curry’s end, it is turning into an ugly breakup, especially since he decided not to wear the newly released Curry 13s. Now it remains to be seen whether Curry manages to sort things out with UA, but there’s a lot of uncertainty around the Curry Brand’s future.

Meanwhile, fans will have to wait longer to see the Warriors star sign a new sneaker deal, given the market conditions and his current issues with UA. Many believe Nike could make a deal, but with 80% market share, they don’t need Curry as much as other brands trying to strengthen their foothold in the market.

Brands like Adidas or Puma could also be in the mix, but he could also venture a different route and try out Chinese brands like Anta or Li Ning, similar to former teammate Klay Thompson and current teammate Jimmy Butler. The options are endless, but Curry needs to select the right one to boost the Curry Brand’s value and bring it back into the mainstream market.