For pro wrestling fans who recently watched WWE legend John Cena retire last week, there was a lot of homage paid by the OG to his contemporaries on his way out of the game. That included doing the big-time
signature moves of some of his biggest rivals, showing respect to their shared legacies.
NBA legend Stephen Curry has also been paying homage to his fellow stars, except instead of bodyslamming people to the floor (that’s Draymond Green’s job) Curry is rocking the shoes of his ballers present and past. As a sneaker free agent living his best life in his 17th season, it’s been a treat watching him try out this path of sneaker discovery.
Curry aka the Unanimous One’s shoe free agency has become one of the most entertaining subplots of the 2025-26 NBA season, and honestly? It’s exactly what basketball culture nerds needed. The man is out here treating pregame warmups like a sneakerhead’s fever dream, rotating through Kobe tributes, Shaq’s hypnotic Reeboks, Penny Hardaway’s Sprite-soaked classics, and even his teammates’ signatures like Jimmy Butler’s Li-Ning “Batman” joints. This isn’t just Curry flexing his newfound freedom after the Under Armour split, this is a masterclass in respecting the game’s history while simultaneously keeping every brand executive’s phone ringing at 3 AM. When the greatest shooter ever decides to become a walking billboard for basketball’s entire sneaker ecosystem, everybody wins.
Tonight the Dubs are facing off against the Phoenix Suns after Phoenix stole a 99-98 win Thursday, and it was in that contest Curry busted out All-Star Devin Booker’s Nikes:
Curry revolutionized the game by proving that volume three-point shooting wasn’t just viable but could be the foundation of a dynasty, while Booker carries it to the next evolution as a scoring savant who can burn you from all three levels with that silky-smooth jumper and mid-range mastery. When Curry straps on Book’s kicks, it’s like watching one flamethrower pay homage to another, a mutual respect society for dudes who’ve spent their entire lives perfecting the craft of making defenders look absolutely helpless. For a competitor as dominant as Curry is to show love for guys trying to make sure he never wins championship glory is a credit to his love and respect for the game and the hoopers who shape it.
Tonight Dub Nation can’t wait to see what Curry rocks in the rematch against Phoenix. Maybe some old school Charles Barkley’s? Hit em with some Steve Nash’s? And best case scenario, no matter what colorway Curry is in, the Warriors actually get a damn win.
