Steph Curry was upset with Under Armour over failed bid to land Caitlin Clark

Steph Curry and Under Armour’s failed bid to have WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark join his brand last year was a “sore point” for the Warriors guard before splitting from the sportswear company this month, according to Bloomberg.

Under Armour’s offer to Clark, the No. 1 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, trailed the total value of Nike’s pitch, people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg. The report does not disclose the finances.

In 2024, Clark signed a long-term deal with Nike worth a reported $28 million. She had been a Nike athlete since 2022.

Curry signed with Under Armour in 2013 and launched his own Curry Brand as a standalone label in 2020.

Curry has not yet discussed a potential new deal with any sneaker companies, a source told Bloomberg.

“This decision was made thoughtfully and respectfully, with a shared sense of pride in what we built together, and a mutual understanding that a separation was best for both Under Armour and Stephen Curry,” Under Armour and a public relations firm representing Curry said in a joint statement.

A source told Bloomberg that Curry and his advisors “became frustrated by what they viewed as underinvestment” in his brand, adding that sales weren’t meeting expectations.

Additionally, a source said Curry had “hoped that [Under Armour CEO Kevin] Plank would invest more in his line.”

While attending a Bloomberg conference in September, Plank said Under Armour had not done a “good enough job yet” telling Curry’s story through the brand.

Curry’s deal is a part of a nearly $100 million increase in restructuring costs for Under Armour, according to a regulatory filing.

Despite their split, Curry and Under Armour will “debut the final Curry shoe in February,” per the separation agreement.

The four-time NBA champ warmed up for a game in a pair of Nike shoes the day after the news of his split with Under Armour.

Curry laced up a pair of “Mambacita” Nike Kobe 6 Protros before a game against OKC on Nov. 11. The Thunder beat the Warriors 126-102.