Four-time NBA champion Stephen Curry has officially closed his sneaker free agency chapter, signing a 10-year partnership with Chinese sportswear company Li-Ning after parting ways with Under Armour last November.
The announcement, made via social media, marks one of the most significant athlete-brand shifts in recent basketball history and solidifies Curry’s next phase as both a player and athlete-entrepreneur.
He described the agreement as “the partnership of a lifetime,” with the deal set to expand Curry Brand into basketball footwear, performance apparel, a golf line, and lifestyle collections.
It also gives Curry the ability to sign athletes under his own label while scaling the brand globally, including new retail stores in both China and the United States.
“It’s amazing to see how he’s grown his namesake company as an athlete founder, knowing I have those same hopes and aspirations for Curry Brand,” Curry said.
Li-Ning, founded by Olympic gold medal gymnast Li Ning, already has a strong footprint in Asia with thousands of retail locations and a growing influence in global basketball culture.
The brand currently works with NBA stars such as Dwyane Wade and Jimmy Butler, placing Curry in a high-profile roster of athletes helping push its international ambitions.
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do you understand what just happened to Steph Curry..
He walked away from Under Armour and signed a 10-year deal with Li-Ning, the Chinese brand founded by an Olympic gymnast. The kicker: Under Armour had given him a lifetime contract in 2023, equity included. He tore it up… https://t.co/HbmGWlEKAZ pic.twitter.com/7vqkmblua4
— Riley West (@rileywestreel) June 1, 2026
Beyond the headline deal, the move signals a broader shift in athlete-driven branding power in basketball.
Instead of a traditional endorsement relationship, Curry’s agreement reportedly allows him to operate Curry Brand with greater creative and business control, positioning it closer to a standalone sportswear entity than a typical signature shoe line.
Industry observers note this structure mirrors the growing trend of athletes building long-term equity-based brands rather than short-term sponsorships.
Another notable layer of the deal is its timing as Curry enters this partnership after years of experimenting with different footwear during his sneaker free agency period following his split with Under Armour.
That phase, while temporary, effectively turned into a public testing ground that boosted visibility for multiple brands and set the stage for a more deliberate global partnership strategy centered on performance innovation and brand ownership.
The expansion of Curry Brand under Li-Ning also reflects a broader push into lifestyle and culture-driven sportswear. With plans to integrate golf and casual wear into the line, Curry’s brand is no longer limited to the hardwood—it is positioning itself as a full-scale global sports identity, competing in the same long-term space dominated by athlete-led empires in the industry.
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