The Australian Open is in full swing, and Steph Curry is in a tennis mood.
The Warriors star wore the On signature shoes of men’s tennis legend Roger Federer during warm-ups Tuesday night, the first time an NBA player wore On shoes on court. Curry did not play in Ons as the brand has only launched tennis, running, and lifestyle sneakers.
It’s unclear whether On is exploring a basketball shoe or whether Curry is looking at an apparel deal with On.
An On spokesperson told Front Office Sports in a statement: “We are thrilled to see a world-class athlete like Stephen Curry choosing to wear our shoes. We create high-performance products that are worn by the best in their sport. That they are then worn across sports, as Stephen Curry is wearing The Roger, our tennis shoe, is an additional validation for us and a testament to the versatility of our sportswear.”
A representative for Curry declined to comment on his sneaker and apparel free agency status. The Swiss company endorses a number of tennis players, including Iga Świątek and Ben Shelton, and distance runner Hellen Obiri.
The decision to wear On shoes is another twist in the two-time NBA MVP’s sneaker free agency story, which started in November after 12 years with Under Armour. He launched Curry Brand with Under Armour in 2020, but can take the subbrand to another manufacturer since he owns all his IP.
Under Armour and Curry Brand are still expected to launch one more shoe, Curry 13, in February. The 37-year-old has continued wearing Curry Brand shoes in some games, but has also laced up in other brands, including Nike, Adidas, Anta, Puma, and Li-Ning.
He’s also switched his pregame and in-game shoes before. On Nov. 18, Curry wore the Reebok Shaqnosis to the arena and the Curry Series 7 during the game.
It appeared Under Armour was set to lose another star athlete after Bryce Harper said in the comments section of a TikTok video this month that he was a “free agent in the apparel/footwear category.” Then last week the brand announced a new deal with the Phillies star.
Women’s basketball star Kelsey Plum’s status with Under Armour is also in question as she’s been wearing Adidas shoes during Unrivaled’s second season.
An Under Armour spokesperson told Front Office Sports that Plum is still with the brand. Under Armour said in a statement: “We were recently made aware of an issue impacting Kelsey’s training and performance. We are working closely with her and her team on a solution to support her needs.”
