Chinese companies have finally accumulated enough capital and ambition to compete
For decades, the global sports marketing landscape flowed in one direction — American and European brands signing the world's greatest athletes and exporting their image everywhere. Steph Curry's decision to join Chinese sportswear giant Li-Ning after parting ways with Under Armour quietly marks the turning of that tide. In a deal that will bring Curry Brand signature shops to both the United States and China, Li-Ning has secured not just an endorser but a symbol: proof that Chinese companies can now compete at the very summit of global sports commerce. The story of who gets to dress the world's athletes — and who profits from it — is being rewritten.
- After 12 years with Under Armour, Steph Curry is now the face of Li-Ning, a move that would have seemed improbable to sports marketing observers just a decade ago.
- The signing sends a jolt through an industry long dominated by Nike and Adidas, signaling that Chinese brands are no longer bidding from the margins — they are winning.
- Li-Ning, Anta, and their peers are executing a coordinated global push: signing NBA stars like Wade, Butler, Thompson, and Irving while acquiring stakes in Western brands like Fila and Puma.
- Curry Brand retail locations planned for both the US and China give Li-Ning a physical foothold in the world's two largest consumer markets simultaneously.
- What is taking shape is not merely a sponsorship deal but a structural shift — Chinese sportswear firms moving from manufacturing for Western brands to owning and defining global ones.
Steph Curry, four-time NBA champion and one of basketball's most celebrated shooters, has signed an endorsement deal with Li-Ning, the Chinese sportswear giant, after his long-running partnership with Under Armour concluded last year. The agreement includes product collaboration and the launch of Curry Brand signature retail locations in both the United States and China, though financial terms were not made public.
For Li-Ning, the signing is more than a marketing win — it is a statement of arrival. The company already operates over 7,000 retail locations across Asia and has been steadily building its international presence. Landing Curry, a figure synonymous with elite performance and crossover appeal in both basketball and golf, gives Li-Ning a credibility in Western markets that money alone cannot manufacture. Marketing analysts have called it a landmark moment, evidence that Chinese brands can now compete directly for the world's most recognizable sports figures.
Curry is part of a broader wave. Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade have also joined Li-Ning, while Klay Thompson and Kyrie Irving signed with Anta — Li-Ning's chief Chinese rival. Anta has moved even more aggressively, acquiring the Fila license and taking a significant stake in Puma this year, pledging to accelerate the German brand's growth in China.
The underlying logic is clear: facing fierce domestic competition and a slowdown in Chinese consumer spending, brands like Li-Ning and Anta are looking outward. By securing global talent and acquiring established Western names, they are building the international credibility needed to compete on the world stage. What was once a one-way current — Western brands defining global sports culture — has become something more contested, and more interesting.
Steph Curry, the Golden State Warriors point guard and four-time NBA champion, has signed an endorsement deal with Li-Ning, the Chinese sportswear giant. The 38-year-old became free to pursue new partnerships last year when his 12-year contract with Under Armour ended, and Li-Ning moved quickly to secure him. The agreement will see the two collaborate on product development and the launch of Curry Brand signature retail locations in both the United States and China, though the financial terms were not disclosed.
The signing represents a watershed moment for Chinese sportswear manufacturers seeking to establish themselves as global competitors. For years, brands like Nike and Adidas have dominated athlete endorsements at the highest levels of professional sports. Li-Ning's ability to land Curry—widely regarded as one of the greatest shooters in basketball history—signals a shift in how the industry's power dynamics are reshaping. Marketing analysts describe the move as a landmark victory, proof that Chinese companies can now compete directly for the world's most recognizable sports figures.
Li-Ning already operates more than 7,000 retail locations across Asia and has been methodically building its international presence. The company plans to work with Curry across multiple sports categories, beginning with basketball and golf. In a statement posted on his business website, Curry emphasized that the partnership would provide his brand with expanded resources to grow globally. He framed the deal as a natural next step, building on the foundation Li-Ning has already established in markets where it has deep roots.
Curry is not alone in making this move. Other prominent NBA players have recently signed with Chinese brands: Dwayne Wade and Jimmy Butler joined Li-Ning, while Klay Thompson and Kyrie Irving partnered with Anta, another major Chinese sportswear manufacturer. Anta has been particularly aggressive in its global strategy, acquiring the rights to Western brands like Fila and, this year, taking a significant stake in Puma with pledges to accelerate the company's growth in China. These moves reflect a broader pattern in which Chinese firms are no longer content to manufacture goods for Western companies—they want to own the brands themselves.
The competitive landscape in China itself remains brutal. Western brands have struggled to gain meaningful footholds there, facing both cheaper local alternatives and a slowdown in domestic consumer spending. For companies like Li-Ning and Anta, the solution has been to look outward: secure global talent, acquire established Western brands, and use those assets to build credibility in international markets. Curry's signature, his reputation, and his ability to market products across basketball and golf give Li-Ning a powerful tool for that expansion. What was once a one-way flow—American brands dominating global sports marketing—is now a two-way street, with Chinese companies writing checks that rival anything the traditional giants can offer.
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The partnership will give his brand an expanded runway of resources to grow its basketball, golf and other portfolios globally, with plans to launch Curry Brand stores together in China and the US.— Steph Curry
Signing Curry marks a landmark victory for Li-Ning, showing that Chinese sportswear brands can compete with global giants like Nike and Adidas to sign top players.— Linda Yu, Red Ant Asia marketing agency
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Why does it matter that Curry signed with a Chinese brand instead of another American company?
Because for decades, Nike and Adidas have been the only real players at this level. When the best athletes in the world sign endorsement deals, they sign with those two. Curry going to Li-Ning signals that Chinese companies have finally accumulated enough capital and ambition to compete for that tier of talent.
But Curry already had a brand—his own line. Why does he need Li-Ning?
His brand existed, but it was tethered to Under Armour's infrastructure. Now he has a partner with 7,000 stores across Asia and the resources to build physical retail in the US. It's about scale and distribution. Li-Ning gives him access to markets and manufacturing capacity he couldn't build alone.
Is this good for Curry or good for Li-Ning?
Both, but differently. For Curry, it's capital and reach. For Li-Ning, it's credibility. They're not just another Chinese sportswear company anymore—they're the company that signed Steph Curry. That changes how they're perceived in New York and Los Angeles, not just Shanghai.
What about the other NBA players who've signed with Chinese brands?
They're part of the same wave. Wade, Butler, Thompson, Irving—these aren't fringe players. They're All-Stars. It suggests this isn't a one-off deal but a genuine shift in where athlete endorsement money is flowing.
Does this hurt Nike and Adidas?
Not immediately. But it erodes their monopoly. If the best players start signing with Chinese brands, the prestige of a Nike deal diminishes. That's a long-term threat, not a short-term one.