Stephen Curry signed a 10-year global partnership with Chinese sportswear giant Li-Ning, the four-time NBA champion and Curry Brand announced Monday, June 1, 2026. The Steph Curry Li-Ning deal 2026 covers basketball, golf and lifestyle categories, ends a seven-month free agency, and gives the Beijing-based brand its largest Western athlete signing to date. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Curry called the agreement “the partnership of a lifetime.” First product is expected ahead of the NBA season opener in October 2026.
“I couldn’t be more proud to build a long-term vision with Li-Ning that will fuel Curry Brand for years to come.” — Stephen Curry
The Deal: Scope and Structure
The 10-year agreement spans basketball, golf and athleisure. Curry retains ownership of the Curry Brand identity and, under the new structure, gains the ability to sign male and female athletes to the brand — a capability he did not have at Under Armour.
Li-Ning and Curry Brand plan to open dedicated Curry Brand retail stores in both the United States and China. Product is expected to hit shelves before the NBA tips off in October. Industry sources told WWD the recruitment process ran roughly seven months and drew offers from both U.S. and foreign sportswear brands.
- Length: 10 years, global
- Categories: Basketball, golf, lifestyle
- Retail: Curry Brand stores in U.S. and China
- First product: Pre-October 2026 NBA season
- Roster control: Curry can sign athletes under Curry Brand
Why Li-Ning? Curry Tested the Shoes
Curry credited Warriors teammate Jimmy Butler and Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade with shaping his decision. Both are Li-Ning athletes. Curry tested their signature models during the free-agency window and cited comfort and build quality as deciding factors, according to the announcement. Portland Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum is also on Li-Ning’s NBA roster.
The seven-month courtship was visible on court. In a widely circulated moment, Curry warmed up in Nike Kobe 6s before a Warriors game in San Antonio — a symbolic gesture given Nike’s grip on basketball footwear. That brand-testing period ran from November 2025 through this week’s announcement.
Under Armour: A 13-Year Partnership That Ended in November 2025
Curry joined Under Armour in 2013. The Curry Brand launched in 2020 as an extension of that deal. The split was announced in November 2025 after 13 years. Industry sources cited underinvestment in the Curry Brand from Under Armour, which has faced sustained valuation declines, as a contributing factor.
The departure mirrors a broader 2026 reshuffling of marquee endorsement relationships, including Rihanna’s FENTY-PUMA split. Under Armour loses its highest-profile product line; the original UA Curry 1 sold out at retail in 2015 and briefly positioned the company as a basketball threat to Nike.
Li-Ning’s Western Ambitions and Fashion Credentials
Founded by Olympic gymnastics gold medalist Li Ning at the 1984 Los Angeles Games, the Beijing-based brand reported RMB 28.67 billion (approximately $4 billion) in 2024 revenue, up 3.9% year-on-year. Li-Ning set an international revenue target of roughly 30% of total sales by the end of 2025 and is accelerating Western expansion, part of a wider pattern of Chinese brands outpacing Western rivals.
The company is not new to fashion. Li-Ning debuted at Paris Men’s Fashion Week in January 2020 with a 10-piece capsule that included a Jackie Chan appearance and a Wade collaboration sneaker. The Curry deal follows the Way of Wade template, the sub-brand launched in 2012 that gave Wade equity-style brand control inside Li-Ning.
What This Means for the Sneaker Market
Li-Ning now owns endorsement rights to the NBA’s top shooter. For U.S. consumers, that means Curry Brand product will appear in American retail under a Chinese parent for the first time. The signing accelerates Chinese sportswear penetration in the U.S., alongside Anta — owner of Fila and Descente.
The deal arrives during a year stacked with high-profile athlete brand deals in 2026, from football to motorsport. Nike, for its part, continues to lead basketball at retail, including with its Nike’s NBA Finals 2026 collection and the Palace x Nike England collaboration. The broader endorsement market continues to widen, from celebrity brand ambassador deals to athlete and motorsport brand partnerships.
Watch retail shelves in late September. For more on what’s coming, see our roundup of the best sneaker drops of June 2026.
