Stephen Curry has entered uncharted territory and the sneaker world is holding its breath. After 13 years as the face of Under Armour, the Golden State Warriors star officially became a free agent, leaving fans, brands, and business insiders wondering which logo he’ll wear next.
For the first time in over a decade, the NBA’s most marketable point guard is up for grabs, and the bidding war has already begun.
“I’m going to have some fun with this in terms of being open to whatever opportunities are the right fit. I’ll try everything out,” Curry said earlier this month, sounding more like an artist than an athlete as he described his newfound freedom.
Most observers assumed that Curry might flirt with Nike again, returning to the brand he left in 2013 after a now-infamous contract meeting gone wrong. But in a twist few saw coming, Reebok has emerged as the early dark horse and they have a powerful advocate in their corner.
Shaq and Reebok make their pitch
Curry turned heads on Tuesday night at the Kia Center in Orlando when he arrived wearing a pair of white-and-black Reebok Shaqnosis sneakers, the bold, swirling design once worn by Shaquille O’Neal himself. The nod wasn’t lost on the basketball world, or on Shaq, who now serves as the President of Reebok Basketball.
“Well, he is a good, personal friend of mine, and I think our people are having conversation with his people, I think,” O’Neal told reporters with a grin. “It was a big moment for me, a big moment for the brand. It puts everyone in a ‘What’s he gonna do?’ phase, so I wish him well.”
For Reebok, the timing couldn’t be better. The company has been in the middle of a two-year basketball reboot, powered by fresh faces like WNBA star Angel Reese, whose debut signature shoe has been a breakout success, and Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis, who gives the brand a new NBA presence.
But signing Stephen Curry would be a game changer, catapulting Reebok back into the elite tier of basketball sneaker brands.
Curry, for now, seems to be enjoying his freedom. In the same night he wore the Shaqnosis to the arena, he swapped into neon Nike Air Penny 2 “Volt” sneakers for warmups, a throwback to Orlando’s 1990s glory days. Later, he paid tribute to his late mentor Kobe Bryant by wearing the Nike Kobe 6 “Mambacita Sweet 16.”
“I just wanted to take advantage of that moment and pay tribute,” Curry explained afterward. “I think it gave me some good energy tonight.”