Stephen Curry stepped onto the court docket Friday night time (Nov. 14) with each a message and new footwear. In his first sport since parting methods with Beneath Armour, the Golden State Warriors star arrived to pregame warmups in Nike’s Kobe 6 Mambacita sneakers, a tribute to Kobe and Gianna Bryant.
After the Warriors edged out the San Antonio Spurs 109–108, Curry informed reporters he “needed to take benefit in that second” to honor Bryant with the selection of sneakers.
Curry made clear the footwear swap wasn’t a sign of a brand new endorsement dwelling — at the very least not but. He emphasised he’s formally a “free agent” within the sneaker world and is trying ahead to “new beginnings” wherever he finally indicators.
The transfer got here the identical day Curry and Beneath Armour introduced the tip of their relationship.
Two years after agreeing to a long-term advertising deal projected to increase nicely into Curry’s post-playing profession, each side confirmed they’re transferring on. The Curry 13, scheduled for launch in February, would be the last Curry Model x Beneath Armour shoe. Curry had been with the corporate since 2013, following his first 4 NBA seasons with Nike.
Curry’s collection of the Kobe 6 Mambacita — a mannequin initially launched in 2022 that commemorates Kobe and Gianna’s lives and legacies — didn’t go unnoticed. Vanessa Bryant acknowledged the second after photos of Curry within the sneakers circulated. The sneakers characteristic Gianna’s No. 2 on the perimeters, a nod to the quantity she wore whereas enjoying soccer.
Curry capped the tribute with certainly one of his strongest performances of the season: 49 factors on 16-of-26 taking pictures in 36 minutes, main Golden State to its second straight win over San Antonio.
