Stephen Curry’s sneaker game has been the talk of the town since he ended his 12-year run with Under Armour in November 2025. Since then, he’s stepped out in everything from Nikes, Jordans and even ANTAs. And more often than not, his sneakers have made the headlines. Now, after being a free agent for a few months, it seems he is closing in on a huge deal with the Chinese sports giant, ANTA.
Last year, Curry made his sneaker plans very clear. “Everybody should be on alert. I’m calling everybody. Trying to get some good product,” he said. He was basically looking for the best deal and the best sneakers possible. He invited companies to reach out to him. Now, it looks like he might have found the winner.
According to Drew London of Sole Retriever, Curry has narrowed his options to three brands, including ANTA. The other two remain under wraps for now.
And if you’re looking for more proof or clues regarding Curry’s plans, remember the images of him wearing the ANTA KAI 3. He became the first NBA player outside of Kyrie Irving to wear them. Heck, he even rocked a player-exclusive ANTA Enclosion Type 2 stamped with his “SC” logo on the heel. That was a pretty big deal.
Now, before you go crying about how he should sign to Nike, you have to remember that ANTA isn’t some scrappy newcomer either. Many are calling the company the Nike of China. They operate over 12,000 stores across Asia and boast a market cap of around $30 billion. That’s huge!
And then there’s Kyrie Irving, of course. The Dallas Mavericks guard signed a five-year sneaker deal with ANTA in July 2023. He even took on the role of Chief Creative Officer of ANTA Basketball. Speaking to Andscape, Irving said, “I’m grateful to Steph. Organically, he ended up reaching out to the brand since he’s a free agent.” He added, “I’d love to have Steph on the brand. I’m just throwing it out there, man. We have the best product out there, the best brand.”
But wait… that’s not all.
He also wore Kyrie Irving’s new ANTA signature sneakers in a game. And ANTA also recently signed Klay Thompson, Curry’s former teammate, to a lifetime deal in 2026 after a partnership that reportedly moved over 10 million signature pairs.
So, yes, if Stephen Curry signs with ANTA it would be a huge deal, not just for himself or the NBA but it would also probably be a knock to Nike and adidas, who’ve dominated the sport with their sneakers since… well, forever really. Having a Chinese brand dominate the courts would be a huge upset.
But at this point in his career, Curry has free rein to pick anyone he chooses. Right now, it seems ANTA is offering the best deal. We’ll have to wait and see what those other two secret companies are and what they are offering.
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