Now that he is a free agent in the sneaker world, Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry used his first game after the end of his Under Armour deal to honor Kobe Bryant during pregame by wearing the Kobe 6 Mambacita shoes from Nike on Friday night.
Speaking about the shoes after Golden State’s 109-108 win over the San Antonio Spurs, Curry explained he “wanted to take advantage in that moment” to honor Bryant.
Even though he was prominently wearing the Nikes during his pregame warmups, Curry emphasized that he is still a “free agent” in the sneaker world and looks forward to “new beginnings” with wherever he lands.
Two years after Curry and Under Armour agreed to terms on a marketing deal that was expected to last well beyond the end of his NBA career, the two parties announced on Friday they were separating.
The final Curry Brand x Under Armour shoe will be the Curry 13 that is planned to launch in February. Curry has been with the brand since 2013 after wearing Nike shoes for the first four years of his NBA career.
Curry’s choice of the Kobe 6 Mambacita was noticed by Vanessa Bryant, Kobe’s widow.
The Kobe 6 Mambacita shoes, originally released in 2022, were designed as a tribute to both the life and legacies Kobe and Gianna Bryant. The shoes include a No. 2 on the sides, which was Gianna’s number when she played soccer.
Curry had his best game of the season on Friday night, scoring 49 points on 16-of-26 shooting in 36 minutes to help the Warriors win their second straight game against the Spurs.
