How the Name of Kevin Durant Played a Vital Part in Nike Losing Out on Steph Curry and Millions of Money

Nike is one of the most popular brands in the world. Their involvement in the NBA is massive, and account for over 90% of the sneakers worn by the players. Nike has always been a player in the NBA, with its smart marketing strategies and the scouting of future superstars at a very young age. Steph Curry was among the lot, but later we saw him moving away to another brand.

Nike’s market struck gold when a young Michael Jordan was picked up by the brand to sign a sneaker deal. They foresaw the impact MJ could bring into the NBA, and they were right. They earned billions from the sale of Air Jordan sneakers. But a company does not always make the right decisions when they pick or let go of their sneaker superstars. 

Steph Curry grew up wearing Nike sneakers. He continued wearing them in college and represented the brand for a few years in the NBA. Why the two-time MVP and the mega sports brand broke ties is an interesting story.

How Nike humiliated Steph Curry and lost him to Under Armour

ESPN’s Warriors beat reporter Ethan Sherwood Strauss had covered the story and mentions the encounter between Nike and Steph’s father, Dell Curry. The actions of the sneaker brand were surely unforgivable, and warranted Steph moving to Under Armour. 

The year was 2013, the purpose of the meeting was to retain Curry in Nike’s endorsement deal, and everyone had a few things prepared as part of the presentation. According to Strauss and Dell Curry, this is how it went. 

“The pitch meeting, according to Steph’s father Dell, who was present, kicked off with one Nike official accidentally addressing Stephen as “Steph-on,” the moniker, of course, of Steve Urkel’s, alter ego in Family Matters. ‘I heard some people pronounce his name wrong before,’ says Dell Curry. ‘I wasn’t surprised. I was surprised that I didn’t get a correction.’”

Furthermore, they used the same presentation meant for Kevin Durant, for Curry. The matter runs deeper than what you think. On top of using the same content, the executives never even cared enough to remove Durant’s name from the presentation. Pretty rude and negligent from Nike on this one.

On the other hand, Under Armour took heed of this incident and gave Curry an offer which he couldn’t refuse. They offered him $4 million a year and allowed him to be the face of the company. Nike offered Curry a mere $2.5 million and naturally, he picked Under Armour.

Upon picking the UA brand, Curry cemented his status as one of the greats of the modern game. The Golden State Warriors won back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2018, while Curry had collected several accolades for himself.

As a result, Under Armour saw a boost in sales after Warriors’ #30 signed with them. Young kids, who were aspiring to be like the sharpshooter, went with Curry’s signature shoe, ignoring Nike. At one point, Curry’s sneakers were outselling every other brand in the market. 

The Nike agenda for picking its signature athletes

Nike picks its candidates based on their chiseled body and ‘tough-guy’ persona. On the outside, Curry looked none like it. He looked like a soft going person but, on the court, he could humiliate you. 

As per ESPN, “Michael Jordan was the prototype, Kobe was the heir, and LeBron carries on the tradition. To be the face of Nike means looking something beyond a regular person. “

“As someone familiar with Nike’s marketing operation says, in regard to Curry: ‘Everything that makes him human and cuddly and an unlikely monster is anathema to Nike. They like studs with tight haircuts and muscles.’ This, then, is the paradox of Steph Curry: The reason he was ignored is the reason he’s so popular. Nike looked past him for the very reason so many fans now can’t look anywhere else.”

If this is the case, then they were wrong. Nike’s office would have panicked when Curry outsold their prized LeBron sneakers. An alarm bell would have rung, reminding them of their decision to let go of a boy who won back-to-back MVP awards and multiple NBA titles.

His deal with Under Armour is worth a lot more now. Nike went wrong when they felt they dominated the market with the likes of LeBron James, KD, and Kyrie Irving.

One can bet that Curry will never forgive Nike for the company’s ruthless behavior towards him and his dad. Back in the day, the brand even gave Kyrie his own basketball camp, but denied one for Steph when he asked for one. Harsh decisions made by the brand are giving it reasons for regret now.