On a night that saw the Golden State Warriors clinch a nail-biting 109-108 victory over the San Antonio Spurs, the final score was hardly the main event. The real story unfolded on Stephen Curry’s feet. Just 24 hours after the shocking announcement that he and Under Armour had officially ended their long-standing partnership, Curry stepped onto the court wearing a competitor’s shoes, adding a dramatic new chapter to his legendary career.
What Pair of Shoes Did Stephen Curry Wear During Friday’s Game?
During pre-game warm-ups, Curry stunned onlookers by wearing a pair of Kobe Bryant’s famed retro models: the Kobe 6 Protro in the black-and-white “Mambacita Sweet 16” colorway, created to honor Gianna “Gigi” Bryant. In an even bolder move, he kept them on for the entire game, playing 36 minutes in the Nike sneakers.
After the game, Curry explained his choice was a tribute to Kobe’s enduring legacy. “I know, it’s just weird seeing me in anything else other than my own shoes. But just the idea of what he meant. I talked about Kobe a lot. And that specific pair, I think it speaks for itself, what it means.”
“And other than that, it’s just something that wanted to take, you know, advantage of that moment and pay tribute. And I think it gave me some good energy tonight,” said Curry in his postgame interview.
🗣️ @StephenCurry30 on why he chose the Nike Kobe 6 “Mambacita” for pregame in San Antonio. #NBAKicks pic.twitter.com/vX5wBkfmgo
— NBA KICKS (@NBAKicks) November 15, 2025
Seeing the man who built a sneaker empire with Under Armour in a different brand was undeniably strange for fans and raised an obvious question. Why did his blockbuster relationship with Under Armour end?
Curry’s sneaker journey has been a dramatic one. He originally signed with Nike early in his career, but that tenure famously ended in 2013 after a disastrous pitch meeting where a Nike executive mispronounced his name and seemed disengaged. The incident made it clear to Curry that the brand did not see him as a priority athlete.
Feeling overlooked, Curry signed with Under Armour, and the rest is sneaker history. His arrival helped transform the company’s position in the basketball world and led to the creation of the independent Curry Brand.
However, in November 2025, the two sides announced an amicable split, allowing the Curry Brand to move toward greater independence. A significant factor in the decision was reportedly Under Armour’s broader restructuring effort, which aimed to improve profitability by refocusing on its core label and trimming expensive sports partnerships.
The pipeline isn’t shutting down immediately, though. Under Armour is still set to release the Curry 13 in February 2026, which will be the final official model under its umbrella, with more colorways planned for release through October 2026.
How Did Curry Perform in the Game Against the Spurs?
Beyond the footwear drama, Curry also delivered a masterful performance on the court. He dominated the game, scoring 49 points and grabbing four rebounds. His shooting was exceptional, as he went 16-for-26 from the field, including a remarkable 9-for-17 from three-point range.
The Warriors started sluggishly, trailing by two points after the first quarter, but they recovered to take a two-point lead into halftime. In the second half, Golden State’s offense exploded for 62 points. At one point, San Antonio held a 10-point lead, the largest of the game, but the Spurs couldn’t hold on, ultimately falling by a single point in the final seconds.
With the sneaker world buzzing and fans closely watching his next move, one question remains: what shoes will Curry wear in his next game?
