Steph Curry explains reason behind career-changing move

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Steph Curry explains reason behind career-changing move

By Ernesto Cova | Last updated Jun 2, 2026 10:59 AM ET

Once again, Stephen Curry is zigging when the rest of the NBA world is zagging.

Years after signing with Under Armour instead of major brands like Nike or Adidas, the Golden State Warriors superstar has done something quite similar, this time joining Chinese brand Li-Ning.

The four-time NBA champion was a sneaker free agent, flirting with multiple brands as he showcased his impressive collection throughout the 2025-26 season.

That's why it was somewhat surprising to watch him make this decision. But as he explained in a statement on his Thirty Ink site, Li-Ning was simply the best fit for his game.

Stephen Curry explains why he signed with Li-Ning

“Throughout my sneaker free agency, I was impressed by the quality, comfort and performance of Li-Ning’s shoes,” Curry wrote. “It was during that time playing in Dwyane Wade and Jimmy Butler’s sneakers, that I knew that Li-Ning could be the right partner that can deliver on the innovation and design that I want Curry Brand to stand for.”

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Una publicación compartida de Wardell Curry (@stephencurry30)

The Chinese giant has over 7,000 stores all across Asia, though they're not a big player in the Western market.

They also sponsor CJ McCollum, D’Angelo Russell and Fred VanVleet, though Curry is obviously expected to be the face of the brand with this new agreement.

Moreover, Li-Ning will also help Curry dip his toes in the golfing industry, with a separate line of apparel exclusively designed for his other passion.

This definitely wasn't the expected move, but it's not the first time that Curry has chosen performance over recognition.

His first major partnership didn't necessarily end well, and it wasn't as big a commercial hit in the U.S. as expected. Only time will tell if things will go any different this time.

Ernesto Cova

Ernesto is a bilingual (English-Spanish) sports writer with over eight years of experience covering major leagues such as the NBA, NFL, and MLB. Ernesto’s work focuses on providing insightful, up-to-date coverage of sports, blending his expertise in sports psychology with a passion for analyzing player performance, team dynamics, and trade developments across various sports leagues

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