The sports world was recently stunned when Stephen Curry and Under Armour split up. While the breakup raised many questions, Curry swiftly addressed one of the most prominent: his willingness to wear other brands.
He has now shown he is ready to try on different footwear, even from his previous sponsor, Nike. According to Sports Illustrated, Curry surprised fans by choosing to wear a pair of retro Nike basketball shoes—specifically the Nike Kobe 6 Protro “Mambacita Sweet 16” colorway—during warm-ups before the Golden State Warriors’ NBA Cup group play game against the San Antonio Spurs. Following the game, reporters questioned Curry about his selection.
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Curry confirmed that the decision was a tribute to the Bryant family.
“It’s definitely strange to see myself in any shoes besides my own,” Curry admitted during his post-game press conference.
He continued, “But just the idea of what he meant. I talked about Kobe a lot. And that specific pair, I think it speaks for itself, what it means. And other than that, it’s just something that wanted to take, you know, advantage of that moment and pay tribute. And I think it gave me some good energy tonight.”
Curry’s choice of footwear was understandable, even if his decision to wear Nike again was surprising, given the well-known fall out with the company after a poor meeting with then-Nike executive Nico Harrison in 2013.
The Nike Kobe 6 Protro stands out as the most sought-after sneaker in Kobe Bryant’s iconic signature line. Specifically, the “Mambacita Sweet 16” colorway is a deeply meaningful tribute to Gigi Bryant.
Released on May 1, 2022, to mark Gigi’s 16th birthday, the limited-edition Nike Kobe 6 Protro “Mambacita Sweet 16” retailed at $180 for adult sizes. It immediately sold out online and now commands a significant average resale price of $638 on platforms like StockX.
For the game, however, Curry reverted to wearing the player-exclusive Curry 11 “Eat.Learn.Play” colorway. This particular shoe honors his family’s nonprofit organization and was never made available for public purchase.
So far this season, Curry has worn the Curry Series 7, which he called his “basketball super shoe” earlier this summer.
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Curry’s partnership with Under Armour began in 2013, after he spent the first four years of his NBA career wearing Nike shoes. This collaboration significantly boosted UA’s basketball sales, leading to a more than 350 percent increase by 2016. The success resulted in multiple contract renewals, notably a 2023 deal valued at over $200 million.
The Curry Brand x Under Armour partnership will conclude with the launch of the Curry 13, which is set for February.
Curry said of the split, “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.”
“What Curry Brand stands for, what I stand for, and my commitment to that mission will never change; it’s only growing stronger,” he added. “I’m excited for a future that’s focused on aggressive growth with a continued commitment to keep showing up for the next generation.”
