NEWS

Despite the break with Under Armour, Stephen Curry was still wearing his signature Curry Brand gear when he returned to Davidson last December. (News of Davidson photo)

In November 2026, Davidson alum Stephen Curry announced his break with Under Armour.

Under Armour, and the Curry Brand within Under Armour, had also become synonymous with the Davidson Wildcats. The Wildcats began wearing Under Armour (UA) gear in 2016. Most all of Davidson’s intercollegiate teams wear UA branded gear, and the basketball and golf teams wear the Curry Brand with Steph’s signature logo.

After breaking with Under Armour, Curry tantalized fans by wearing a variety of other shoes on and off the court. This week he announced a new 10-year contract with Li Ning, a Chinese manufacturer.

Curry’s minute-long video was straightforward and to the point: “This is bigger than a shoe deal, bigger than a signature series, this is the partnership of a lifetime.”

Li Ning is a public company and was founded in 1989 by Olympic gymnast Li Ning. The company is not without controversary, as it has faced allegations of using forced North Korean labor in the production facilities. In 2022, U.S. Customs and Border Protection effectively banned their products from the U.S. While the ban is apparently no longer in place, there are few places – other than online – where they can be purchased.

Sports Illustrated published an article entitled “Winner and Losers from Stephen Curry’s Li Ning Sneaker Deal.” Not surprisingly, Curry and Li Ning were listed under the winners category with the deal estimated at more than $400 million for Curry. The article listed “Davidson University” as a loser in the deal, but added that a deal with Li Ning could potentially keep Wildcat scholar-athletes in Curry gear.

When asked about a potential brand change, Davidson College Athletics responded, “We have not yet made a decision, but will have clarity soon.”