Historic Deal from Curry: 10 Years, $400 Million with Li-Ning

The NBA's biggest sneaker negotiation has finally been resolved. Stephen Curry announced through social media on Monday that he had signed a deal with Li-Ning; on Tuesday, ESPN's NBA reporter Shams Charania revealed that the deal is for 10 years and 400 million dollars. Curry had been the market's favourite since November 2025, when he ended his 13-year partnership with Under Armour and fell to "sneaker free agent" position. During the seven-month evaluation process, he received offers from both American and foreign brands; some were higher than Li-Ning's offer. In the end, Curry made his choice in favour of Li-Ning, which he saw as strategic in terms of "global partnership."

The scope of the deal is wide. It includes basketball shoes, athleisure lifestyle clothing, a full golf line, and Curry's ability to sign other athletes under his own Curry Brand. This last item is particularly striking — Curry will now operate a sports apparel portfolio he manages himself with Li-Ning's infrastructure, beyond being just a brand face. Curry Brand's expansion in the Asian market and Li-Ning's official gateway entry to the American market are expected. One of the influential factors in Curry's decision process was that his Warriors teammate Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade tested Li-Ning contracts and approved them.

The deal also brought political debates with it. Li-Ning and some other Chinese companies are accused of forced labour practices by the US government and human rights organisations; Li-Ning products were banned in the US in 2022. New Jersey Republican representative Chris Smith stated to ESPN that he will ask the Department of Homeland Security to investigate Li-Ning imports. Former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom also criticised Curry on social media. Curry has not officially responded to these criticisms himself. The only statement he made in the partnership announcement was: "The partnership of a lifetime."

Financially, the size of the picture is extraordinary. Curry's total salary in his 17-year NBA career is approximately 530 million dollars — the new Li-Ning deal will provide an income flow close to that level. Curry's personal wealth is expected to exceed 1 billion dollars in the next 10 years. This will be a permanent legacy for his post-court career. The 38-year-old Curry has a final-season contract of 62.6 million dollars with the Warriors; while this contract he signed in August 2024 ends, the Warriors are reportedly preparing a 2-year, 136.7 million dollar extension offer. Curry has announced his goal of playing at least 20 seasons in the NBA — meaning he could wear the jersey until the 2028-29 season.

Curry Brand's 2026 annual revenue reached 174 million dollars; this is a size far beyond the brand portfolios of other NBA stars when compared. After history-making deals like Kobe Bryant's Nike deal and LeBron James's lifetime Nike contract, Curry's Li-Ning move will be recorded as one of the biggest deals made with a "non-American" brand in the sports apparel industry. The strategy of bringing a global Curry brand to the Chinese market aligns with the NBA's effort to increase its influence in the Asian market. Curry's plan to leave a lasting economic legacy both on and off the court in the coming years has become clear.

Source: ESPN (Shams Charania)

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