How Stephen Curry’s daughter’s choice led to historic partnership with Under Armour worth millions
Stephen Curry, the star player for the Golden State Warriors, attributes his lifetime contract with Under Armour to his daughter Riley. In 2013, Curry was faced with a difficult decision: choose one of the several brands interested in representing him.According to NBC Sports, this happened during a season in which Curry averaged 22.9 points per game. It was also his first time leading his team to the playoffs. As a joke, he asked his two-year-old daughter Riley to make the final decision.
“My daughter Riley at the time was 2 and I was down at my agent’s house in LA, and we were just kind of messing around. I had a bag full of all the shoes I was wear-testing and I was getting to that final hour like, ‘What are you gonna do?’ I was messin’ around and said, ‘Riley come in here, let me put all these shoes around.’ So I had Nike, Adidas, Brand Black, and Under Armour shoes. I had them all laying around in the middle of the room and I told her, ‘Go pick your favorite and hand it to daddy,’” Curry shared with ESPN’s Nick DePaula on “The Sneaker Game.”
He continued, “Little did I know, her dramatic self, even at 2, she did the process of elimination. She didn’t just go for the first one. … She did the first three, threw them across the room, ran over, and handed me the Spawn. That was pretty much the end of it right there.”
Based on his daughter’s decision, Curry signed with Under Armour in 2013, earning $4 million per year, which ultimately increased to $20 million per year, according to NBC Sports. The four-time NBA champion has evolved with the brand over the years, and in 2020, Under Armour launched the Curry Brand.
CNBC reported earlier this year that Curry had been named president of Under Armour’s Curry Brand. In addition, he will supply new products in areas such as basketball, golf, women, youth, and sports style.
Under Armour’s new contract with Curry requires him to stay involved in all elements of the brand even after his playing days are over, similar to Nike’s lifetime deals with Michael Jordan and LeBron James. The outlet also stated that Curry is the first athlete in Under Armour history to have launched ten trademark shoes together during the span of their collaboration.
“If the past 10 years have shown me anything, it’s that Under Armour and I can build great things together. In 2013, we bet on each other, and I’m all in on taking this next step together,” Curry remarked.