“Changed the Sneaker Game for a While”: Dwyane Wade Says Steph Curry’s Split With Under Armour Wasn’t ‘As Surprising’

The sports business world got some major news last week when it was announced that Steph Curry and Under Armour would be going their separate ways when his current contract expires in February of next year. The Warriors sharpshooter, four-time NBA champ and two-time MVP has been the face of Under Armour for over a decade. Needless to say, nobody saw this divorce coming.

It is yet unknown what Steph’s next move will be, because he’s been having some fun lately by keeping people guessing by rocking different kicks during his pregame warmup. The Warriors star was spotted the day after the split announcement with a pair of Nike Kobe 6s, and since then he’s also worn a pair of Reebok Shaqnosis and Li-Ning Stingray Way of Wades.

Wade himself gave Steph a shout-out last night on Instagram for showing his shoes some love. He also spoke about his footwear free agency on the most recent episode of his Time Out podcast.

“I wasn’t looking for it to come,” Wade said of the end of Steph’s time at Under Armour. “You don’t think about that when it comes to Steph Curry. First of all, the whole industry is struggling when it comes to the sneaker community. I know, ’cause I’m in it, so I understand. I’ve seen my numbers, I’m like ‘Oof.’ So the whole industry is struggling and there’s a lot of different reasons why.”

Steph has spent his entire NBA career with the Warriors, and he’s been just as loyal to Under Armour, so on that level, this really is a surprise. “They did some incredible things with the Curry brand,” Wade said.

“It was underrated. Steph changed the sneaker game for a while, especially in the beginning, when it came to the kids. When Steph first hit the scene with them Under Armours, all the kids was wearing them. Everybody. That’s all the kids wanted. So he’s been very impactful in the culture of sneakers,” the former Miami Heat star explained.

Steph revolutionized the game of basketball with his 3-point shooting, and he has to be the most emulated modern-day player by kids playing in their driveways. All around the world, everyone wants to shoot like Steph, and that bled over into the popularity of his shoes.

Wade said that Steph’s upcoming decision is about more than just sneakers. “It’s gonna be cool to see who is gonna tell the Steph Curry story?” he said. “And the sneaker brands help tell your story, they help continue to tell the legacy of your basketball career … So who is Steph Curry going to allow to tell that story?”

Wade claims to know who he would want to do that, asserted that as a fan, it’s going to be cool to see who Curry picks. It feels like that’s a reference to Nike since they’re still the biggest player in the game, but we’ll have to wait and see.

Steph isn’t just a basketball legend, he’s also a businessman, so we’re sure to see many more teases between now and February as he builds hype for his decision.