Celebrity Name: Stephen Curry
Brand Name: Sotheby’s
Deal Type: Charity Auction / Sports Memorabilia Partnership
Announced: April 7, 2026
Impact: Elevates Curry’s “sneaker free agency” narrative into a global collectibles event, channels six-figure-plus proceeds to Eat.Learn.Play., and cements Sotheby’s growing footprint in basketball and sneaker culture
- Stephen Curry has launched a 75-lot online auction with Sotheby’s titled “The Stephen Curry Collection, My Sneaker Free Agency,” running from April 13 to April 28, 2026, showcasing dual-signed, game-worn, and tunnel-worn sneakers from his 2025–2026 season.
- After ending his 12-year partnership with Under Armour in November 2025, Curry wore footwear from over a dozen brands, including Nike, Jordan Brand, Adidas, Reebok, Li-Ning, ANTA, New Balance, Puma, AND1, On, and Hoka, creating an unprecedented chapter in sneaker history.
- High-value lots include game-worn Nike Kobe Protros, Puma Tyrese Haliburton PEs, Li-Ning Jimmy Butler 4s, and a rare 2010 Nike Hyperdunk PE, with top estimates reaching $50,000 USD.
- All proceeds from the auction will benefit the Currys’ Eat.Learn.Play. Foundation, which supports children’s access to nutrition, education, and safe places to play.
Stephen Curry is turning one of the most talked-about moves in sneaker history into a major moment for collectors, and for charity.
The four-time NBA champion has teamed up with Sotheby’s to auction off more than 70 pairs of sneakers worn during his 2025–26 “sneaker free agency” season, with all proceeds going to his and Ayesha Curry’s Eat.Learn.Play. Foundation, which aims to ensure children in need have access to food, literacy, and safe places to play.
The auction includes game-worn, tunnel-worn, and pre-game pieces, all pulling from a wide range of brands and moments across the season.
Standout lots include a dual-signed Nike Kobe 6 Protro “Mambacita Sweet 16,” worn the very first night of his free agency, and a Nike Kobe 4 Protro “CHBL” from the night Curry dropped 48 points and 12 three-pointers to pass Michael Jordan for the most 40-point games after age 30.
This is the latest high-profile move from Curry, who has built a diverse off-court portfolio that spans brands like Rakuten with Curry teaming up with Rakuten x Canvvs on a new campaign. alongside partnerships with Callaway Golf and PLEZi Nutrition.
Off-court, Curry led all NBA players with an estimated $100 million in endorsement income last year, ranking second among the world’s highest-paid athletes overall.
For Sotheby’s, sports memorabilia has become one of its fastest-growing categories. The auction house has consistently broken over $9 million in aggregate sales since announcing its official NBA partnership, with an average of six bidders per lot in 2024.
The auction house has previously sold game-worn memorabilia tied to Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James, the latter featuring in a custom Maybach S 680 project with Mercedes-Benz. Bidding opens April 13 and closes April 28, all online via Sotheby’s.
Takeaways
This isn’t just a sneaker auction, it’s a cultural statement. Stephen Curry spent an entire NBA season treating his feet like a storytelling device, and now Sotheby’s is giving that story a permanent home in the collector’s market.
For the sneaker world, this auction reframes what “free agency” even means, it’s no longer just about which brand wins Curry’s signature. It’s about the fact that he turned an industry transition into a 75-lot celebration of basketball footwear history, and used it to fund children’s futures. The move shows how today’s superstar athletes are becoming curators of culture, not just brand representatives.
Which sneaker brand do you think ultimately wins Stephen Curry’s signature deal, and does this auction change your read on who has the edge? Could Curry’s “sneaker free agency” model become a blueprint for other NBA stars looking to exit long-term brand deals?
