Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry has already made over $530 million in on-court NBA salary, and well over $1 billion when you combine his off-court endorsement deals and business ventures. Even so, Steph is now on the books for another $400 million, after agreeing to terms on a new 10-year endorsement deal with Chinese sportswear company, Li-Ning.
The news came from ESPN’s Shams Charania on Tuesday night, who revealed that the four-time NBA champion turned down similar opportunities from other brands.
“Golden State star Stephen Curry’s 10-year endorsement deal with Li-Ning is worth over $400 million,” wrote Shams on X. “Curry had similar financial commitments from other brands, including at least one more lucrative offer, but chose Li-Ning to power Curry Brand. Li-Ning extends its Curry Brand venture globally and encompasses basketball products, athleisure, the ability for Curry to sign athletes under his brand, and a full golf line.”
Curry, 38, was the summer’s top sneaker free agent, but Li-Ning has promised to expand his ‘Curry Brand’ well beyond the world of footwear. At this stage of his career, with his status as a legend already established, Curry felt Li-Ning was the best place to expand his global reach while still maintaining the power and freedom to preserve his own brand identity. The $40 millon annual salary instantly makes it one of the richest endorsement deals in NBA history.
“Even though some sources were earlier spouting $1 billion, there’s still no way Nike, Under Armor, or any of these brands are matching this $400 million deal,” one fan wrote. “This is one in a lifetime deal for the greatest shooter of all time, glad he’s getting paid his worth!”
Steph began with Nike before switching to Under Armour in 2013. The Curry1 line launched in 2015, right around Steph’s first MVP and title run. He signed several lucrative extensions with Under Armour, including as recently as 2023, before their partnership abruptly ended. While some fans were advocating for Steph to join Nike or Adidas, Curry chose the one brand no one predicted, and the return has been far higher than anyone imagined.
“$400M from Li-Ning over 10 years. Steph took the Nike money, the Under Armour money, and now the China money. Generational wealth x3,” one post read.
It remains to be seen where the iconic ‘Curry Brand’ will go from here, but it’s clear that the Warriors star is in exclusive territory. As a four-time champion, two-time MVP, and the game’s greatest shooter ever, Steph is one of the rare few who even deserve such a lucrative contract, and it really says a lot about what he’s done for the sport.
“Everyone’s talking about the $400 million… but that’s the small part,” one fan added. “Stephen Curry just made the smartest business move in sports history and officially outplayed Michael Jordan and LeBron James when it comes to LEGACY BUILDING.”
Specifically, the contract targets Curry’s Asian market, which rivals even Kobe Bryant’s in popularity. He’s made several visits there over the years, and this deal with Li-Ning guarantees that the people there will love him even more.
“Creating his own brand in China while dropping 3s casually every other night on the court,” wrote one X user. “Seems an amazing move.”
Ultimately, while the contract fell below some projections of $1 billion, there’s no question that Curry accepted good terms here. With Li-Ning, he can secure his foothold in one of the world’s greatest business hubs, where his jersey remains one of the highest-selling in the sport.
At this point, it’s clear that Steph is one of the most iconic and influential athletes ever — not just in the U.S., but also in China and all around the world. His greatness knows no borders, and it’s about as priceless as you can get, given that Steph is set to be paid over $10 million well into his 40s.
