The news of the split between iconic guard Stephen Curry and the brand he has represented for over a decade, Under Armour, has remained a hot topic. After all, Curry has been synonymous with the Maryland-based company, and vice versa. While reports of poor sales figures are said to be the primary driver behind this decision, former NBA player Channing Frye has a different perspective.
On a recent episode of the "Road Trippin'" podcast, the former sharpshooting big man implied the dismal sales figures are to be expected, given how Curry's signature sneakers aren't much to look at.
Founded in 1996 by former collegiate football player Kevin Plank, Under Armour got its first break in American football. By creating sports apparel that wicks sweat, the brand gained traction and soon expanded its reach into baseball and other sports. However, its most significant move came in 2013 when it signed Curry away from Nike.
Since then, the Golden State Warriors point guard has become one of the most recognizable faces in sports and a major asset to Under Armour. However, while Steph's first signature shoe, the "Curry 1," was a hit among fans and sneakerheads, the brand's subsequent Curry Brand offerings weren't as well-received. In particular, the Curry 2 "Chef" colorway was heavily criticized for resembling the shoes nurses wore during their shifts.
"Under Armour has always been a football and baseball thing. They're trying all these different players. They just can't break — I don't want to say break even — they just can't break into… no one in the league is really like, 'Hey yo, them Steph Currys was hitting,'" Frye remarked .
The sneaker world is a fiercely competitive industry dominated by the undisputed giants: Nike, its subsidiary Jordan Brand and Adidas. Other companies like Converse, New Balance, Puma, Anta and Under Armour have tried to break the stranglehold that the companies above have had on the market, but have mostly fallen short.
According to Frye, a reason for this is the lack of creativity in design. While Nike and Adidas continue to churn out catchy signature sneakers for their main stars, LeBron James , Kevin Durant , Devin Booker , James Harden and Anthony Edwards , Under Armour has put out one plain Jane sneaker for Curry after another.
"Let me ask you a question. Have you ever saw a pair of Steph Curry and gone, 'Man, them s—ts is tight,'" Frye stressed. "Never."
The podcast's co-host, Kendrick Perkins , meanwhile, said that he sees this move by Under Armour as an indicator of the direction the company is heading in.
"This is my opinion. This is not facts," Perkins shared. "I think this is the first step that they're that they're saying, 'We're moving, slowly going to move away from the game of basketball.' Like, yeah, then we tried this basketball space…"
It may be a while before Curry decides he'll bring his brand to the next level. For now, he's enjoying his time as a sneaker-free agent , wearing a different pair of sneakers every game day. His time in Florida has been particularly fascinating, as he wore Shaquille O'Neal's Reebok Shaqnosis, Penny Hardaway's Penny 2s and Dwyane Wade 's Way of Wades over the last few days.
Related: "Nurse Shoes" & No Sales: Insider reveals truth about Under Armour DUMPING Stephen Curry
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Nov 20, 2025, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
