“There’s always been a continuation (in mind) with Stephen. I couldn’t imagine Under Armour without Stephen, or Stephen without Under Armour,” Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank said. Stephen Curry made a defining move in his NBA career when he signed with the Baltimore-based sportswear company in 2013. Stephen Curry’s impact on the brand was transformative, akin to what Michael Jordan did for Nike. His presence helped reshape Under Armour’s shoe line so much that Curry eventually earned his signature brand within the company. A 2017 ESPN report even dubbed him the “face of its [Under Armour’s] footwear line.” However, as Dwight Howard pointed out, the brand had another star once, who didn’t leave quite the same legacy as the All-Time Three-Point Leader.

During a recent segment of his ‘Above the Rim with DH 12‘ podcast, 2020 NBA champion Dwight Howard hosted former point guard Brandon Jennings, who shared insights into the early stages of his basketball career. Jennings recalled his bold decision to skip college and go pro by joining Lottomatics Roma of the Italian Serie A. In the midst of his story, he casually mentioned, “got with Under Armour and then we set it off,” referring to his deal with the iconic sportswear brand. Howard, surprised by the nonchalant mention, paused the conversation to dig deeper into how the deal came about. Jennings, now 35, was more than happy to elaborate on the behind-the-scenes details.

“I got the deal done, we flew to Baltimore with Sonny. And then, you know, we were just sitting there. I didn’t really know what was going on. They were like, ‘Yeah, we’re gonna make you our first signature basketball athlete.’ I was just like, ‘All right,’” Jennings said, reflecting on how surreal the experience was, having signed the deal at just 18 or 19 years old.

“It wasn’t really sinking in. I had just gone from not being able to get into college to, ‘Wait, I’m going to Rome? Wait, I got a shoe deal?’ All in the span of a month. So, I’m just sitting there like, all right, when do we leave? What is a passport? You know what I’m saying?”

At a time when players were pivoting towards Adidas or Nike, thanks to Michael Jordan revolutionizing the sneakers industry with his Air Jordans, Jennings was able to get a $2 million contract from Under Armour to sponsor their products during his time at the EuroLeague. Coming straight out of high school, the deal would have been too tempting for anyone to ignore. The partnership continued after Brandon Jennings was acquired by the Milwaukee Bucks during the 2009 NBA Draft, the same one that also allowed Stephen Curry’s entry into the league. During the 2011 offseason, the player even made headlines after taking up an internship at their Baltimore headquarters.

By the fall of 2011, Brandon Jennings had earned his first signature shoe line, which was also amongst UA’s first ever basketball shoes to be released. The ‘Black Ice’ and ‘Bloodline’ sneakers became a part of the market by the end of the year. The role that the former Bucks player played in giving an initial boost to Under Armour is something that Dwight Howard certainly wanted to highlight before going further during the interview.

“How does that feel, like bro like, you were….. man, you a trailblazer. I don’t think you guys at home understand, wherever you watching this, this man was the sh*t, he’s still the sh*t, but coming out of high school, this man had an Under Armour deal, and he was the first player to do that before anybody” said Dwight Howard with Brandin Jennings sitting right across from him.
“Before Steph, it was (him).”

The lessons that the NBA legend learned during his tenure with the $4.1 billion brand allowed him to later launch his own sneakers company, TUFF CROWD, back in 2018. By that point, Stephen Curry had already solidified his image as among the greatest players of the modern NBA, and thereby increasing the status of the brand he represented. Despite this, Under Armour may not have chosen to forget their partnership with Jennings so easily. Therefore, it would have been certainly blissful when its former and top sponsor decided to join forces.

“Really started from respect” – Brandon Jennings revealed how Stephen Curry’s love for TUFF Crowd played a role in their collaboration

Back in 2023, it was announced that the Curry Brand would be teaming up with Brandon Jennings’s TUFF CROWD to release a series of limited-edition footwear and apparel. Jennings worked with the Warriors star to create and help in the release of shoes that included the Curry 11 and Curry Flow Cozy, along with a UA Spawn FloTro. To give off the vibe of Jennings’s brand’s iconic dark mood, the collection featured products in black, bone, and red color palettes reportedly across wearable silhouettes.

In the article that outlined the official announcement of the deal, Brandon Jennings revealed the thought process that caused him to partner up with Steph, stating “I was looking up some of our earliest orders, and he was one of the first to buy a beanie from us, years ago. He’s always shown love and worn TUFF CROWD, and it was only right that two of the original athletes on the Under Armour roster came back together for this collection.” He added to the remarks by further claiming that “This collab really started from respect and Stephen seeing how far TUFF CROWD has grown.”

Despite Stephen Curry being the face of the brand, Brandon Jennings’s legacy with Under Armour is an important part of the sneakers culture. One that will not be forgotten in the brand’s history pages at all.