Steph Curry Ends Partnership With Under Armour; Curry Brand To Continue Independently

Stephen Curry and Under Armour are parting ways. The two sides announced today that Curry Brand, a subsidiary of Under Armour established in 2020, will separate from its parent company, giving the brand the ability to operate as its own independent entity.

This is massive news and a headline nobody saw coming. Steph Curry entered the league as a Nike athlete but switched to Under Armour in 2013 after Nike Basketball (then under the direction of former Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison) famously fumbled a sales pitch by showing him a slideshow intended for Kevin Durant. In that time, Steph has gotten twelve signature models. The UA Curry 13 is still set to release in February 2026 as planned, with additional colorways and apparel collections available through October 2026. From that point on, Steph is on his own.

This news is particularly shocking considering Steph and Under Armour signed a massive near-$1-billion deal just two years ago, which reportedly had the potential to turn into a lifetime contract. Curry Brand was formed in 2020 and has since expanded through NBA signees like De’Aaron Fox, who has already checked off two signature models (it remains to be seen how the contracts of existing Curry Brand athletes will be managed). The decision to shift gears is part of an expansion of Under Armour’s previously disclosed fiscal restructuring plan, which was also announced today.

“Under Armour believed in me early in my career and gave me the space to build something much bigger and more impactful than a shoe. I’ll always be grateful for that.” says Stephen Curry. “Curry Brand was created to change the game for good and over the past 5 years, we successfully changed the game for kids, for communities, and for basketball. What Curry Brand stands for, what I stand for and my commitment to that mission will never change, it’s only growing stronger. I’m excited for a future that’s focused on aggressive growth with a continued commitment to keep showing up for the next generation.”

Steph now has a few different options ahead of him. The Golden State Warriors star could theoretically call Nike or adidas tomorrow (or perhaps a rising Chinese brand) and ask for a boatload of money that he would in all likelihood get. He could also move forward by operating without the help of an established footwear company, which would pose its fair share of challenges when it comes to production, tech, and scaling. It’s worth noting that Steph Curry is 37 years old and therefore in the twilight of his career, meaning any business moves will (or at least should) be motivated by what happens after his playing career.

Rest assured we’ll circle back with any and all Steph Curry shoe updates over the coming months. This is definitely a development we’ll be tracking meticulously.