In a surprising business move, NBA superstar Stephen Curry and sportswear giant Under Armour (UA) have ended their decade-long partnership. After over ten years of collaboration, Curry will officially become a “sneaker free agent,” moving his popular Curry Brand to operate as an independent entity.
The mutual split grants the four-time NBA champion full operational control over his personal brand.
Curry originally signed with Under Armour in 2013, after leaving Nike, and the partnership was instrumental in growing Under Armour’s basketball footprint. The collaboration lasted for 12 years and saw the launch of 12 signature shoes, with the Curry Brand established as a standalone venture within Under Armour in 2020.
Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank cited a focus on core business as the reason for the separation:
“For Under Armour, this moment is about discipline and focus on the core UA brand during a critical stage of our turnaround.”
The Curry 13 is scheduled to be the final co-branded shoe, set for release in February 2026, with apparel and colourways available through October 2026.
The move allows Curry Brand to compete more autonomously in the global sportswear market. The Golden State Warriors icon expressed gratitude while looking ahead to aggressive expansion.
“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.”
The move is seen as an attempt to allow the Curry Brand to evolve “on his terms,” potentially setting up a new chapter for an athlete’s brand evolution outside of a major athletic corporation.
The partnership spanned the most successful years of Curry’s decorated career, during which he established himself as the greatest shooter in basketball history and one of the NBA’s all-time elite players.
His major career accomplishments include 4x NBA Championship winner (2015, 2017, 2018, 2022), 2x MVP(2015, 2016) the only unanimous MVP selection in league history, 1x NBA Finals MVP, all-Time 3-Point Leader as he holds the NBA record for most career three-pointers made, 2x NBA scoring champion (2016, 2021) and named one of the 75 greatest players in NBA history.
The basketball legend is now free to explore new partnerships, making him one of the most sought-after endorsements in the global sports marketing industry.
