After more than a decade together, Steph Curry is officially ending his partnership with Under Armour in February 2026—and that means one of the biggest sneaker free agents in modern basketball is about to hit the open market.

Curry isn’t just any signature athlete. He’s a future Hall of Famer, still playing at an elite level, and one of the most influential superstars of his generation. His next move won’t just impact basketball sneakers—it’ll affect golf, lifestyle, streetwear, and global brand strategy. Wherever he signs next needs to do more than churn out hoop shoes. They need to elevate the Curry Brand into a multi-category powerhouse.

Here’s a breakdown of the brands that could realistically land him—and who makes the most sense.

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Nike / Jordan Brand

Pros

The obvious name on the board is Nike. The Swoosh has the biggest distribution, strongest marketing power, and unmatched cultural cachet in the industry. Signing with Nike or Jordan instantly puts Curry back in the middle of the biggest global sneaker machine ever built.
He’d get access to elite design teams, massive R&D, and the kind of marketing budget that turns a signature shoe into global uniform.

Nike also gives Curry the chance to cement himself into streetwear history. Jordans, Dunks, Air Maxes—they dominate the lifestyle scene. A Curry x Nike lifestyle shoe would have way more organic credibility than anything he has now.

Cons

There’s history here—and not good history. Curry left Nike in 2013 after being clearly undervalued, so that bridge may be burnt.

Even if the relationship were repaired, Nike’s roster is crowded. Jordan, LeBron, KD, Book, Ja, and a whole generation of signature guys would compete for space. Creative control would also be limited—Nike isn’t giving full design freedom, and they definitely aren’t offering equity.

So while Nike brings massive upside, it also brings the least control.

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Adidas

Pros

If Curry wants a global platform but less saturation than Nike, adidas is the move. The brand has worldwide reach, strong international appeal, and a real need for a top-tier U.S. superstar.

Adidas also has a hole to fill after Yeezy. A Curry-branded sublabel could give them a new cultural anchor—something they’ve desperately needed. Add in their established presence in golf apparel, and the transition for Curry’s multi-sport identity makes sense.

Cons

The U.S. basketball market has never been adidas’ stronghold. Their lifestyle heat isn’t touching Nike or New Balance right now. And to lure Curry, they’d almost certainly need to offer equity—something adidas rarely does.

The biggest challenge: adidas hasn’t shown the ability to create a hit performance basketball line and maintain high-end storytelling at the same time. They’ve struggled with cannibalizing their own designs, releasing cheaper versions of their own premium products.

It would take a massive cultural reset to make Curry work there.

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Li-Ning / ANTA (Asian Brands)

Pros

Curry joining an Asian superbrand isn’t unrealistic. These companies offer fast development cycles, strong manufacturing power, global scale, and more creative freedom than any Western brand.

He’d likely get a true imprint, big money, and major influence over design. If Curry wants to become an international athletic empire, this is the fastest route.

Cons

The U.S. sneaker market still hesitates with Asian brands due to perception issues, tariffs, and lack of cultural prestige. Quality and storytelling would need to be absolutely elite to convert American consumers.

Curry would essentially be building an entire U.S. narrative from scratch. It’s possible—but risky.

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Going Fully Independent

Pros

Curry could follow the Jalen Brown route and go fully independent. This gives him total control—brand identity, design, profits, storytelling, all of it. He could expand the Curry Brand beyond sneakers into golf, apparel, lifestyle, and more with no restrictions.

It’s the purest version of owning your narrative.

Cons

It’s also the most expensive. Manufacturing, distribution, marketing, sales—Curry would need a massive infrastructure and huge investment.
Timing is also a problem. Curry is closer to the end of his career than the beginning. Developing a new sneaker and building global demand takes years—not months.

Going solo is possible, but it’s a long road.

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New Balance

Pros

This is where things get interesting.

New Balance already has Kawhi Leonard, Jamal Murray, and Tyrese Maxey, and one of the strongest lifestyle waves in the world. The brand is hotter than ever, especially in fashion, Japan, and the UK. Curry could instantly step in as the face of NB Basketball and NB Lifestyle.

Their craftsmanship is elite: comfort, durability, stability—everything Curry’s current line lacks.
New Balance Golf is also on the rise, and adding Curry would immediately elevate it.

Most importantly: New Balance doesn’t have a crowded roster. Curry would be their biggest athlete, period. He’d get priority, creative input, attention, and likely the equity he’d want.

Cons

NB doesn’t have Nike-level visibility, and their global marketing isn’t as loud or aggressive.
They also don’t have a hype machine—no SNKRS-level drops, no giant storytelling rollouts.

But the truth is, those things can be built with the right athlete.

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Skechers

Pros

This is the wild card.

Skechers is quietly building a performance empire. They have Embiid, Randle, and Terance Mann, and they’re hungry for a real superstar to legitimize their basketball category.

They offer:

• Unlimited resources
• Massive global distribution
• Retail presence everywhere
• Potential equity
• Full creative freedom

Skechers Golf is also well-developed and fits Curry’s comfort-first golf aesthetic. And the storyline of Curry joining Skechers would dominate headlines.

Cons

Basketball credibility is low. Sneaker culture doesn’t treat Skechers as “cool.” The risk to Curry’s legacy would be huge if the shoes flop.

But Curry already took a chance once with Under Armour—and turned them into a household name.

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ASICS (Dark Horse)

Pros

ASICS is having a moment. Their running and lifestyle models are some of the hottest shoes worldwide. Their performance tech is elite, and their brand ethos—discipline, performance, longevity—lines up with Curry perfectly.

ASICS also has massive global reach and could use a superstar to re-enter basketball in a real way.

Cons

Their basketball division is tiny. Curry would basically be rebuilding it from zero.
ASICS Golf doesn’t exist at scale. He’d be helping create that lane from scratch.

And while ASICS is global, their U.S. cultural footprint isn’t as strong as Nike, NB, or adidas.

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So… Where Should Curry Go?

After breaking down every option, only two brands feel like true next-level fits:

1. New Balance (Best Choice)

• Equity is possible
• Basketball + lifestyle + golf all exist
• He becomes the biggest athlete at the company
• Craftsmanship fits his performance needs
• Lifestyle potential is massive

New Balance gives Curry everything he didn’t get at Nike or Under Armour: control, respect, and range.

2. Skechers (High-Risk, High-Reward)

• Unlimited money
• Full creative power
• Massive distribution
• Strong golf division
• Potential equity

It’s risky—but the upside is massive if he wants to build a brand from scratch and own it.

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Final Word

Steph Curry’s next sneaker home is one of the biggest storyline moments of 2026.
For me? New Balance is the perfect mix of culture, business, and performance.
Skechers is the bold alternative.

But what do you think?
Drop your pick in the comments—where should Curry take the Curry Brand next?