Curry Brand VP says King point guard De’Aaron Fox is among ‘next generation’ of NBA stars – Sacramento Bee
A representative of Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry’s shoe brand had high praise for Sacramento Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox after his signature shoe deal was officially announced Thursday.
Ryan Drew, vice president and general manager of Curry Brand, told Footwearnews.com Fox is among the NBA’s biggest rising stars.
“De’Aaron represents the next generation of stars in the NBA and is bringing something special to Curry Brand,” Drew said. “He has a flair to his game and style that is rare. We’re excited about integrating De’Aaron into the design process to bring hoopers the best in on and off court styles.”
Fox will go head-to-head with Curry a day after Under Armour announced his endorsement deal when the Kings play host to the Warriors in their season opener Friday at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento. The news broke during a 130-114 victory over the Utah Jazz in Wednesday’s season opener when The Sacramento Bee reported Fox was on the verge of signing a signature shoe deal with a major brand. Fox told The Bee he is in the early stages of designing a signature shoe that will be released in 2024.
Curry has had a signature shoe deal with Under Armour for years. Now, Curry is developing his own brand with Under Armour, and Fox is the first player to sign a signature deal with the label.
“Like Jordan Brand did with Nike, Steph is doing with Under Armour, and I’m the first person to be a part of that,” Fox told The Bee. “Some players wouldn’t want to be the first, especially under an active player, but for me, I think it’s more like I’m helping him build his brand, but also he’s helping me build my brand, so I feel like it’s great for both of us.”
Footwearnews.com reported the Curry Brand is calling the addition of Fox a “pivotal milestone and exciting next chapter for the brand,” saying they are united by a “shared purpose to grow the sport of basketball.”
Drew told the website Fox will oversee grassroots basketball programs on the Under Armour circuit, providing support for the annual Curry Camp as a mentor to young athletes.
“Like Stephen, De’Aaron possesses an impressive dedication to giving back to the basketball community and those around him,” Drew said. “Not only will De’Aaron influence Under Armour performance solutions for the next generation of athletes, but he is excited to get involved in the UA Next circuit — a program that drives access to sports at every level and makes athletes better by training their minds, body and craft — as well as oversee and grow the grassroots basketball programs.”
