Kevin Durant shared his thoughts on Stephen Curry becoming a sneaker free agent and where the Warriors star should take his talents next. Curry parted ways with Under Armour after 13 years, opening the door for a major sneaker move.
Durant appeared on the Up & Adams Show with Kay Adams, where the conversation turned to Curry's sneaker future. Adams asked about Nike potentially being on the table for the Warriors guard.
“That would be incredible. I hope that happens. Yeah, he should — no disrespect to Under Armour — he should have always been a Nike athlete,” Durant said, via Hoopshype. “But he built his brand, and this is an exciting time for him to be able to choose, and to have people out there that still want your services.”
Durant's perspective carries significant weight given his own history with Nike. The Rockets forward signed a lifetime deal with the brand in 2023, joining Michael Jordan and LeBron James in that exclusive tier. His signature line has produced 18 models since the Zoom KD 1 debuted during his time in Oklahoma City.
The KD line became a cornerstone of Nike's basketball division. Breakthrough models like the KD 4 featured memorable colorways that helped establish Durant as more than just a scorer but a legitimate sneaker icon in the basketball world.
Curry's Under Armour journey began around 2013, following Nike's infamous botched pitch meeting. Reports suggested Nike mispronounced his name and recycled another player's presentation, convincing Curry to take a chance on the challenger brand instead.
The partnership initially thrived as the Curry One launched in 2015 alongside his first MVP and championship. Under Armour's footwear sales surged during Curry's back-to-back MVP seasons, pushing the company's visibility and stock price to record highs in the mid-2010s.
In 2020, they spun his line into Curry Brand, positioning it similarly to Jordan Brand. However, Under Armour's broader business eventually cooled despite steady performance from the Curry line. By November 2025, the sides confirmed their split despite earlier lifetime language.
Curry now owns the Curry Brand independently and can explore new manufacturing partnerships. The 37-year-old remains elite on the court, averaging 28.6 points per game this season. Despite Golden State's struggles at 9-9, his continued dominance keeps him highly marketable for any potential sneaker deal.
