The sports apparel and sneaker industry was recently stunned by the news of the conclusion of the 12-year partnership between Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry and Under Armour. Although the company will still release Steph's last shoe with the brand, the Curry 13s, the development came out of nowhere, especially since the two parties have benefited and made a name for themselves in an industry dominated by giants Nike and Adidas.
Curry's longtime teammate and friend, Draymond Green , though, believes the move is fortuitous, as it gives the two-time MVP a chance to further build his brand and legacy with a company that has the machinery and wherewithal to support it.
Although Steph is playing in his 17th season and is already 37, he remains one of the best players in the league and is showing no signs of slowing down. Whether it's his signature three-point shots or his flashy handles, Curry continues to leave fans in awe and cement his place as one of the greatest players in NBA history.
Green believes this is also an ideal time for Curry to elevate his brand to the next level. With a wealth of experiences and more stories to tell than when he first signed with Under Armour in 2013, Steph could incorporate all of that into creating a new brand image and expanding his reach to even more fans.
"I think to be in the position he's in right now, this may be the biggest opportunity of his life," Green relayed on his podcast. "We all know how great Steph Curry is. We all know the love that Steph Curry has, and the Curry Brand already has a presence. So where he takes the Curry Brand next, it's not like they're starting from ground zero. Steph Curry is Steph Curry."
Before Curry came on board at Under Armour , the company's reputation was built on creating gear tailored for American football. Although they attempted to carve out a niche for themselves in basketball by signing Kemba Walker and Brandon Jennings , they were unable to make a significant impact in the market.
That all changed when they brought Steph in just when he was on the cusp of stardom.
"He built an incredible brand, an incredible line, and had people wearing Under Armours like they were cool. No one was wearing Under Armour basketball before. You only saw Under Armour on the football field," Dray stated. "Then Steph Curry went to Under Armour, and all of a sudden, Under Armour basketball shoes became cool because they had the Steph Curry logo on them."
The story of how Nike dropped the ball with Curry is well-known now. They had the chance to re-sign him after his initial four-year deal concluded, but the Swoosh clearly didn't view him in the same light as LeBron James or Kevin Durant .
Green, a longtime Nike athlete, gave thought to how things could have been had Curry built his brand with Nike.
"If Steph Curry stayed with Nike and became the Steph Curry he was going to become regardless of brand, and he was building Curry Brand under Nike — ala Jordan, ala LeBron James, ala Kevin Durant — guys who have built brands with Nike — what if Steph was building that brand there?" he surmised.
"You can only wonder how huge that would have been. I'll go out on a limb and say if he was building that with Nike, it may have been as big as Jordan Brand, which is interesting. That's saying a lot. No disrespect to MJ, the GOAT. When it comes to the shoe business, MJ has done it better than anyone ever has and probably better than anyone ever will," Green continued.
It remains to be seen where the Curry Brand will land next. One thing is for certain: if Nike gets a second chance at partnering with the star player, they will not make the same mistake twice. The potential for a massively successful brand is evident, and Nike would be foolish to pass up on such an opportunity.
Related: Steph Curry to follow in Michael Jordan's footsteps with Under Armour split
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Nov 15, 2025, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
