Report cites Under Armour's failure to sign Caitlin Clark as part of Steph Curry's reasons to part with the company

When it comes to women's basketball, superstars don't come any bigger than Caitlin Clark. Since her memorable and historic NCAA run at Iowa, she has set professional basketball on fire with her scintillating run with the Indiana Fever in the WNBA, selling out every arena she has set foot in and substantially increasing merchandise sales.

It's no surprise that her impact, on and off the court, has caught the attention of many, including that of Stephen Curry, who had wanted Under Armour to do everything in its power to sign the 6-foot dynamo, whose shooting proficiency, charisma and dynamism on the floor actually closely resemble the Golden State Warriors ace's game.

However, Under Armour's failure to snag Clark reportedly cut Curry deep and was somewhat to blame for the decision to part ways with the company he had worked with and represented for the last 12 years.

The big fish

With Caitlin's initial deal with Nike set to expire, many companies vied for her signature. After a brilliant rookie season wherein she was named an All-Star, a member of the All-WNBA First Team and a legitimate MVP contender, it was no surprise that the sneaker industry's most prominent players, Nike, Adidas, Puma and Under Armour contended to sign her.

Ultimately, Nike emerged victorious, signing Caitlin to an eight-year, $28 million deal. According to a Bloomberg report, the development left a bitter taste in Steph's mouth.

"One sore point for Curry was the attempt last year to recruit Caitlin Clark to join his brand, according to people familiar with the matter," the report by Kim Bhasin and Randall Williams claimed. "He and the company pursued the phenom, but Under Armour's offer trailed the total value of Nike's pitch, the people said."

A Wall Street Journal report revealed that Under Armour offered Caitlin only a four-year, $16 million deal.

Nike has since unveiled Caitlin's logo, which will appear on her soon-to-be-revealed signature shoe and various apparel. Reports estimate that Caitlin's signature shoe will rake in $100 million, a cool return for their initial investment in the Fever superstar.

Related: "It was the most sad I was in my basketball career" - Joakim Noah explains why making millions in the NBA didn't bring happiness

Underinvestment in the Curry Brand

After Nike bungled its pitch to Curry, Under Armour nailed theirs and signed the former Davidson stud to a contract in 2013. Seven years later, Curry launched the Curry Brand as a standalone label under Under Armour's umbrella. However, the Bloomberg report noted that the transcendent superstar and his representatives felt the company wasn't doing enough to tell his story, leading to underwhelming sales figures.

"Curry and his advisers became frustrated by what they viewed as underinvestment in the brand," the report revealed. "Meanwhile, the division's sales weren't meeting the company's or Curry's expectations."

Now a sneaker free agent who's free to wear whatever he wants, Curry has taken full advantage, putting on one heat pair after another. From the Kobe 6s to Way of Wades to Foamposites to the Reebok Shaqnosis and even the ultra-rare Air Jordan 3 "Oregon," sneaker fans have been waiting with bated breath to see what the two-time MVP would lace up next.

In fact, for the first time since 2013, Curry played an entire game without wearing his own signature shoe, opting instead to lace up his teammate Jimmy Butler's signature sneakers, the Li-Ning JB 4s, in their last game against the Portland Trail Blazers.

Related: Dwyane Wade says the Steph Curry–Under Armour split shows how much the sneaker industry is struggling

This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Nov 25, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.