NBA superstar rumored to sign with ANTA, domestic brand rises to counterattack the U.S., stock price jumps 15%, likely to become a catalyst

The NBA superstar "Steph" Stephen Curry, who plays for the Golden State Warriors, is in the final stages of a brand endorsement battle. It is reported that he has narrowed down potential partner brands to three, including the Chinese sports brand ANTA (ANTA, 2020). He was recently photographed wearing ANTA shoes during training, and the heel of the sneakers prominently featured the Curry Brand logo, indicating that both parties have entered into substantive negotiations. In fact, ANTA's stock price has gradually rebounded from its lows in recent months, rising by as much as 15% in the past month. If the partnership is confirmed, it could further serve as a potential catalyst for the stock price. Curry has been collaborating with Under Armour since 2013 to create the exclusive Curry Brand. With Curry becoming a globally recognized superstar in the NBA, he has successfully helped Under Armour secure a foothold in the sports goods market dominated by Nike and Adidas. In November last year, Curry officially parted ways with the American sports brand Under Armour after a 13-year partnership. The two parties reached an agreement for the Curry Brand to operate independently. Under the separation agreement, Under Armour paid a breakup fee of up to $255 million (approximately HKD 2 billion). Curry Brand Logo Appears on ANTA Sneakers After parting ways with Under Armour, there is much speculation about which brand Curry Watch will end up with. During public training sessions, he has been seen intentionally wearing different brands of shoes, interpreted as a signal to major brands. This month, he was photographed wearing the ANTA basketball shoes ANTA Enclosion Type 2 during training. Notably, the heel of the shoe clearly displays the exclusive Curry Brand logo, marking the first time this logo has appeared on sneakers not made by Under Armour, attracting significant market attention and possibly indicating that both parties have entered into substantive negotiations. ANTA Has Signed Curry's Former Teammate Klay Thompson In fact, ANTA already has a strong lineup of NBA star endorsements, including Curry's former teammate Klay Thompson, who signed with ANTA back in 2014. Thompson further signed a "lifetime contract" with ANTA on February 14. Additionally, Kyrie Irving became ANTA's global basketball ambassador and chief creative officer in 2023. If Curry joins, ANTA will have three top NBA guards as endorsers. ANTA Opens North American Flagship Store in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles It is worth mentioning that ANTA just opened its first North American flagship store in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, on February 13, located in the highest-end core retail area, showcasing its international ambitions. ANTA's CEO Xu Yang stated at the opening ceremony that the Beverly Hills store is a key step in ANTA's global strategy. In the future, the company will further deepen its presence in the North American market through various localized initiatives, including sports experience promotions, brand cross-industry collaborations, and public welfare projects In recent years, ANTA SPORTS has accelerated its globalization efforts, announcing at the end of last month (January 27) that it will invest €1.51 billion (approximately HKD 14 billion) to acquire nearly 30% of the shares of the German sportswear brand Puma, becoming Puma's largest shareholder. The company stated at the time that this move is an important step in advancing its "single focus, multi-brand, and globalization" strategy. At the same time, ANTA's stock price gradually rebounded from a low of HKD 75.2 on January 26, reaching a high of HKD 86.6 on Monday (February 23), a 15% increase from its low. On Tuesday (February 24), ANTA fell along with the market, closing at HKD 84.55, down 1.74%. Related article: ANTA invests HKD 14 billion to acquire nearly 30% of Puma's shares, a 62% premium over the previous day's closing price, becoming the largest shareholder after completion