Stephen Curry has been a hot commodity since entering the NBA. As many stars do, he partnered with Nike, which coincided with his early seasons in the league. However, in 2013, he signed an agreement with Under Armour. At the time, Under Armour didn’t have a ton of sway in the NBA, but Curry gave them a stronger hold of the market. The two parted ways in November after over a decade of collaborating on Curry Brand shoes.
Now, Curry is taking his talents overseas. The superstar guard agreed to an endorsement contract with Li-Ning, a Chinese sports apparel company. The contract is worth $400 million over 10 years.
That nearly equals what Curry has made in on-court earnings. Since 2009, his rookie season, Curry has earned a little over $470.1 million from NBA salaries. He’s under contract for one more season, which will pay him north of $62.5 million.
Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
Curry has spent his entire career with the Golden State Warriors, winning four championships and setting all kinds of shooting records along the way.
Sneakers will be a big part of his sales; the deal will also include other basketball products, athleisure lifestyle clothing, and a full golf line. Curry can also sign other athletes under his brand. The partnership with Li-Ning gives Curry even more global exposure and a foothold in the world’s second-most populous country—a country that just so happens to be full of basketball fans.
Reportedly, Curry’s decision to go with Li-Ning, despite other lucrative financial offers, came down to comfort. He got to test out shoes that his fellow players wore, including Dwyane Wade, Jimmy Butler, a Warriors teammate. And he found Li-Ning’s shoes worked best with his style of play.
This deal is notable for the monetary aspect, but also because Li-Ning is under examination from the United States government and human rights organizations. The clothing was banned in the U.S. after it was found that Li-Ning uses forced labor to make its products. That will likely impact the availability of Curry’s merchandise in his home country.
Curry’s not quite done on the basketball court, though this move shows he’s already planning ahead for his post-playing career. And it’s looking quite lucrative.
