Stephen Curry is one of the most decorated players in NBA history, but right now, the biggest move he is making has nothing to do with a basketball court. The two-time MVP and four-time champion is in the middle of one of the most watched sneaker free agency stories in sports, and the plot just got a whole lot more interesting.
During All-Star Weekend in February 2026, he was spotted training alongside Kyrie Irving and Sabrina Ionescu while wearing the Anta Enclosion Type 2. The shoes displayed the Curry Brand logo on the heel — a detail that sent shockwaves through the sneaker industry. That single sighting may have told the world everything it needed to know about where Curry is headed next.
Curry and Anta Look Like a Perfect Match
The optics of that All-Star Weekend workout were impossible to ignore. Curry was not just wearing Anta footwear casually — he was training in them at one of basketball’s biggest stages, alongside Irving, who already holds an endorsement deal with the Chinese athletic brand. His Warriors teammate Klay Thompson also has ties to Anta, which means he would be stepping into familiar and friendly territory.
What stands out most is the presence of the Curry Brand logo on the shoes. This signals that any potential deal would not simply fold Curry into Anta’s existing roster of athletes. Instead, it suggests a partnership that preserves and elevates his personal brand identity — something that clearly matters deeply to him.
Anta has shown a consistent willingness to invest in high-profile NBA talent and build around them. For Curry, that kind of commitment is likely non-negotiable after what he experienced with his previous partner.
The Under Armour Breakup Turned Ugly Fast
His relationship with Under Armour dates back to 2013, when the partnership helped transform the brand into a legitimate force in basketball footwear. His signature line drove massive sales and pushed Under Armour into direct competition with Nike and Adidas. For over a decade, he was the face of their entire basketball division.
But the split has been anything but graceful. In mid-February, reports surfaced that Under Armour migrated 500,000 Curry Brand followers on Instagram directly to the company’s own Under Armour account — a move widely viewed as hostile and a direct violation of the spirit of the original partnership. The dispute over digital assets exposed deeper tensions that had apparently been building for some time.
The clearest sign of how bad things got came when he publicly stated he has no plans to wear his final Under Armour shoe, the Curry 13, in any games. Players rarely make that kind of statement mid-contract. The decision to walk away from his signature shoe before his apparel obligations officially expire in October 2026 speaks volumes about how fractured the relationship has become.
Three Brands Are Still in the Running
Despite Anta’s frontrunner status, he and his team have reportedly narrowed the field to three finalists. The identities of the other two brands have not been officially confirmed, though Nike and other major footwear companies have been floated in industry circles.
The three-finalist framework suggests negotiations have moved well beyond casual conversations. Serious discussions are happening, and the All-Star Weekend appearance seems to indicate Anta has a real edge. Still, no official announcement has come from either Curry or any of the brands under consideration.
The ability to maintain the Curry Brand within any new deal appears to be the most critical factor driving his decision. Whoever wins this endorsement race will need to offer more than just a paycheck — they will need to offer a genuine partnership built around his identity and long-term vision.
The Curry Brand Is Ready for a Fresh Start
The apparel obligations with Under Armour run through October 2026, which creates a somewhat awkward overlap. He is technically still tied to the brand in a contractual sense, yet he has already distanced himself from it in every visible way possible.
No official announcement timeline has been reported, but given the pace of developments, a decision could come within the next few months. He has kept his public focus on the Warriors’ season and has avoided going into detail about his sneaker situation — letting his training shoes do the talking instead.
Whenever the announcement comes, it will be one of the most significant endorsement deals in basketball in years. The next chapter of the his Brand story is about to begin, and the sneaker world is watching closely.
