Steph Curry and Under Armour announced some big news on Thursday.
Curry and UA are parting ways after 12 years together. Curry had left Nike to join Under Armour in 2013, and the company launched his first signature shoe in 2015. But that partnership is coming to an end.
As part of the announced separation, Under Armour will still produce the Curry 13 shoe and release it in February 2026 as planned. However, Curry’s “Curry Brand” will be leaving UA. The Curry Brand was created in 2020 and will now have independence.
“Under Armour believed in me early in my career and gave me the space to build something much bigger and more impactful than a shoe. I’ll always be grateful for that,” Curry said in a statement. “Curry Brand was created to change the game for good and over the past 5 years, we successfully changed the game for kids, for communities, and for basketball. What Curry Brand stands for, what I stand for and my commitment to that mission will never change, it’s only growing stronger. I’m excited for a future that’s focused on aggressive growth with a continued commitment to keep showing up for the next generation.”
Under Armour founder and CEO Kevin Plank issued a statement on the separation.
“It’s been an incredible privilege to work with Stephen, who as President of Curry Brand has been much more than an ambassador – he’s become a thoughtful and strategic business leader. Together with our teammates, he helped build something rare: a brand with credibility, community impact, and product that performs at the highest level. For Under Armour, this moment is about discipline and focus on the core UA brand during a critical stage of our turnaround. And for Stephen, it’s the right moment to let what we created evolve on his terms. We’ll always be grateful for what he’s brought to the UA team,” Plank said.
Under Armour had given Curry $75 million in the company’s stock in 2023, which was the same time Curry was named the president of Curry Brand. Under Armour’s stock has struggled and is down 40 percent this year. They have looked to cut costs in recent years, which includes dropping some of its athletic partners.
