Stephen Curry’s newest partner off the court is a rival on the court.
The Warriors star’s personal brand with Under Armour announced this week that it has signed Kings guard De’Aaron Fox as its first signature athlete, forming a business connection between Northern California’s two star point guards.
The deal between Curry Brand and Fox will include a signature shoe launching next year and. Fox will also be involved in Under Armour’s grassroots basketball and “UA Next” programs focused on helping young prospects grow, according to a company release.
Curry, 35, said during an interview with ESPN that he was thrilled “to be able to partner with somebody like D-Fox, while we’re still competing, while we’re still battling.”
That competition is set to continue Friday night in Sacramento, when the Kings host the Warriors in the teams’ second game of the new season. The matchup revives last year’s instant classic first-round playoff series, which saw Curry and Fox go head-to-head for seven games as Curry’s Warriors came out on top when he scored 50 points in a Game 7 win after Fox suffered a finger fracture.
De’Aaron Fox signs with the Curry Brand, becoming the brand’s first signature athlete 🚨@malika_andrews sat down with the two stars to discuss this special moment 🙌 pic.twitter.com/tLk7YLU1Fs
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) October 26, 2023
Fox, 25, played the first five years of his career on a deal with Nike, but wasn’t signed to a shoe contract last season when he broke out and became a first-time All-Star as the Kings made the playoffs for the first time in his career.
During that playoff matchup, he said he wore Curry’s branded shoes.
“Our team would show the shoes and, they’re like ‘Oh he’s wearing Stephs, blah blah blah.’ And I’m like ‘Well, I’m gonna bust his ass in these,’” he told ESPN. “That’s how I’m thinking about it. Like, you see someone with your shoes on, you’re like ‘I got him.’ Well, what if you see someone with your shoes on and they’re coming at you? So it’s kind of a mind game on both sides.”
Curry first signed with Under Armour in 2013, before he rose to NBA superstardom with two MVP awards and four titles over the ensuing decade. The apparel company launched Curry Brand in 2020 and announced in March that it had agreed to an extension with Curry that could become a lifetime deal.
Whoever loses Friday’s game will have another shot to even the score soon, as the Warriors and Kings face off again in San Francisco next Wednesday.
