John Kim 
There has been no greater underdog story in sports in the 21st century than Steph Curry, a just-arrived superstar who was at one point deemed unfit for the physical play of…college basketball. Despite having the NBA pedigree (father Dell was an NBA pro for over a decade) and putting up insane numbers in High School, Curry found himself tasked with “proving himself” to those who felt he was undersized or lacked the “it” factor, and it’s that drive to succeed that has placed him where he is today – an MVP candidate for one of the best teams in the NBA, and the “best shooter he’s ever seen” according to President Barack Obama.
Under Armour shares a similar story as Steph; the Baltimore-brand only started dabbling with hoops just a few years ago, but their dedication to innovative performance gear and a team of designers have catapulted them among the top brands in the industry. Nike calls UA their biggest competitor in the United States, and while the UA is still the small dog compared to the Beaverton-based big dog, the small dog has plenty of bite. On Thursday, January 8th, UA and Steph came together for a big announcement – the Curry One signature shoe – and we were there to capture it all.
The Under Armour Curry One launches on February 13th for $120 at select UA Basketball retailers.
THE ROUNDTABLE
To begin the official launch event, Under Armour brought the media mob to the legendary gym at the Notre Dame High School in Oakland, CA. A roundtable discussion was arranged with Steph, UA designer Dave Dombrow, and comedian/TV personality/Oakland native Mark Curry (no relation to Steph). Steph and Dave revealed some of the inspirations behind the six colorways, some of the performance functions of the Curry One, and the state of UA Basketball now that it has a signature shoe under its belt.
THE WEAR-TEST
After the roundtable discussion, media members suited up in the UA Curry One and special gear for some warm-ups and open scrimmages. Some of the ballers note the lightweight advantages and form-fitting capabilities of Under Armour’s “AnaFoam”, while the Charged cushioning provided ample support for all positions of play.
SIGHTS AND SOUNDS
Under Armour prepared an impressive welcoming kit for media members, such as a daily newspaper focusing on the unveil and debut of the Curry One, an HTC One smartphone loaded with media assets and an interactive Steph Curry experience, a storyboard detailing Steph’s rise to stardom, and more.
