Dear Steph, It’s Time to Let Curry Brand Go
Published
We’ve all been thinking it, so I’m gonna say it; we don’t need Curry Brand back.
To preface, I grew up in the Bay Area in an era when you could buy rafter tickets for $10 and walk down to courtside seats at the Oakland Arena to watch Jason Richardson put on a losing show, and I’ve spent more east coast nights staying up way too late for 10:30 pm mid-week west coast tip-offs than i can count. Steph Curry is absolutely chiseled onto my NBA Mount Rushmore. That said, the only time I’ve spent money on a Curry signature sneaker was a gag gift pair of Curry 2 Chef Curry’s for my dad’s birthday. My brother and I split them; neither of us could justify paying full price for those.
Would my experience with Curry Brand be different if he had been a Nike athlete for every record-breaking three, MVP, and ring? Maybe. But, maybe not. Steph’s Under Armour signature line was certainly hindered by its place at Under Armour, but the right star is supposed to transcend those hurdles. As much as I love Steph Curry the basketball player, I don’t buy Steph Curry the sneaker salesman. And as we look to a future where Steph brings his Curry Brand to a major player in the space, or turns it into an independent label, it’s worth taking an honest look at the current state of signature sneakers.
It all goes back to Jordan, right? We could go back even further, to Kareem, Clyde, Magic and Bird—hell, even Run DMC. But to make it easy, we’ll start with Mike. The perfect storm. The kind of cultural reset that inevitably set unrealistic expectations for everyone that came after. Movies, TV, music, mainstream media, Jordans broke every cultural wall we had in a pre-social media world. Jordans are MTV, Ben & Jerry’s, the Beatles.
LeBron got in right before social media killed the monoculture that allowed for a 16-year-old on the cover of Sports Illustrated to be the kind of all-encompassing news that still influences sneaker colorways. It didn’t hurt that LeBron is LeBron, of course. But for everyone who came after The Chosen One, the game had changed. These days, livestreamers’ sidekicks get sneaker deals. It can be hard to know what really moves the needle.
Musicians don’t name drop sneakers, they drop their own. Movies and TV shows might add a nostalgic sneaker reference, but they aren’t pushing the culture forward like the Fresh Prince was, and if they really want to get in on the sneaker side of marketing, they’ll just opt for slapping their logo on some Crocs; or, in the case of Stranger Things, licensing deals with Crocs, Vans, Clark’s, Converse, and Nike.
Beyond the pop culture crossovers, high-fashion signatures, and steady push of WNBA shoes, the NBA landscape itself is jam-packed with overseas pro models and self-started companies all fighting for the same fan dollars. Name the brand that makes Nikola Jokic’s pro shoe without Googling it, I dare you. To say the market for sneaker consumer attention is saturated is an understatement. But if anyone can stand out, it’s the greatest shooter to ever pick up a basketball, right?
I’ve been just as focused on what Steph’s been wearing since the UA deal ended as anyone, but the interest comes from him wearing shoes that aren’t Curry Brand sneakers, and his outfit choice with the Oregon 3s was a stark reminder that on-court style does not always translate after the buzzer. Steph is a middle-aged family man who has always presented himself publicly as a workaholic with a keen business sense and a goofy side. He’s a great pitchman for kids’ shoes.
It was presumed that Curry Brand would continue at Under Armour after Steph retires from the NBA, with athletes like De’Aaron Fox and LSU star MiLaysia Fulwiley continuing the legacy under his name, a la Jordan Brand with its current roster of Tatum, Luka, and Zion signature shoes. But Jordan Brand runs on retros, not new signatures, and that’s simply not in the cards for Curry Brand.
When it comes to signature sneakers, for musicians, influencers, and fashion houses, but especially for athletes, I like what Zoomers did with the word aura. Sure, Shai is the MVP and a champion, but so is Jokic, and he isn’t moving sneakers no matter how much hardware is on his mantle. Ja Morant is struggling to stay on the court and off the trade block, let alone make an all-star team, but his third signature shoe is leading the Nike basketball catalog. Puma’s signature star is LaMelo Ball, not Tyrese Haliburton. And adidas? Well, yeah, it’s the aura. If we’re willing to admit to ourselves that it’s all about aura, we’ve got to be honest about Curry Brand, and if we'll even really care about the new product that comes after Steph makes whatever decision he makes.
Steph is in his 17th NBA season, and he’s still dropping 45-point performances like it’s nothing. He is better than anyone could have ever imagined. He is the world's best shooter by miles, but he’s also got a handle and lay-up package that rivals the greats. He just doesn’t have an aura that creates classic sneakers, and that’s fine. There's a reason that Curry’s recent tributes to Kobe, Shaq, Penny, and Jimmy Butler have been his most memorable sneaker moments since viral jokes buoyed the all-white Curry 2s my dad mowed the yard in.
Steph Curry has unimaginable amounts of money, fame, and respect; it’s okay if he doesn’t have a shoe brand anymore.
Zach Harris is a writer based in Philadelphia. His work has appeared in Rolling Stone, Vice, Complex, High Times, and more. He is obsessed with skateboarding and bowling. He is still looking for his first 300. For tips, reviews, and anything in size 10.5 - zach.h@soleretriever.com
