Stephen Curry ended his 13-year endorsement deal with Under Armour in November 2025 and signed a 10-year deal with Chinese sportswear company Li-Ning in June 2026 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. Curry publicly announced the partnership on social media June 1, followed by an official Li-Ning announcement on June 2 [2, 4, 5].
The deal expands Curry Brand products beyond basketball shoes to include golf and casual apparel. Curry will have autonomy to sign other athletes under his brand as part of the collaboration [2, 3, 4, 5]. Li-Ning, one of China’s largest sports brands founded in 1990 by former Olympic gymnast Li Ning, plans to open Curry Brand stores in the U.S. and China [1, 3, 5].
Curry said he personally tested Li-Ning shoes worn by NBA stars Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade, praising their comfort and quality [1, 3, 4, 6, 5]. "库里品牌现在将拥有更广阔的资源平台和全球足迹，为世界各地带来行业领先的创新成果和卓越产品," Curry said, highlighting the global reach the partnership will bring [1]. He added, "这不仅仅是一份球鞋代言合同，也远比推出一个简单的专属签名鞋系列意义更为重大," underscoring the deal's significance beyond a typical shoe endorsement [2].
Li-Ning previously signed Dwyane Wade in 2012 to a 10-year, $100 million deal that was upgraded to a lifetime contract in 2018 [4, 6, 7]. Li-Ning reported $4.3 billion USD in revenue in 2025 and is seeking to increase its global footprint through this deal [1].
The partnership marks a milestone for Chinese sports brands expanding in the NBA market traditionally dominated by Western brands like Nike and Adidas [1, 4, 7]. However, the deal has drawn criticism in the U.S. amid allegations of forced labor linked to Chinese companies related to Uyghur human rights concerns [7, 8, 9, 10]. Former NBA player and human rights activist Enes Kanter called out Curry on social media, saying "自由，被明码标价了。(Freedom for sale.)" [7, 8, 9, 10]. Michael Sobolik of the Hudson Institute questioned the partnership, saying "李宁公司被指控涉嫌中国维吾尔族强迫劳动问题。以沦为中国共产党种族灭绝罪行的共犯为代价，去搭建文化桥梁并开展外交？" [7].
Following the announcements, Li-Ning is expected to begin launching Curry Brand products globally and open retail stores in the U.S. and China in the near future [1, 3, 5]. The 10-year deal positions Curry Brand for global expansion outside basketball, building on Curry’s continued influence in sports and apparel.
