Steph Curry, is the hottest name with the hottest hand in the NBA.
Steph Curry is having a year for the ages. This one-time college folk hero from Davidson who was a ‘product of the system’ has been shining on basketball’s highest stage and is poised for Super Stardom.
Nowhere was this more evident than this past weekend All All-Star Game festivities. Curry was the main attraction in Saturday night’s 3-point competition, running away from the field in the finals and setting a record of 27 points in the process. Curry at one time made 13 straight shots to distance himself from his finals opposition and real-life teammate and fellow ‘Splash Brother’ Klay Thompson.
To backtrack a little, I do not want this to sound like this is the first time Curry has amazed on a national stage. In 2009-2010 he finished 2nd in the Rookie of The Year voting and was a part of the 2010 USA Men’s National team. He set a Golden State franchise record with a .943 Free Throw Percentage in 2010 and set an NBA record with 272 made 3-pointers in 2012-2013, and 10,000 other accolades I can’t fit in this paragraph. This kid can flat out shoot.
Not only can he ball on the court but he is the hottest name in NBA marketing right now. Curry has used his on-court skills along with being on the NBA’s best team to catapult his image and his brand to new heights. He was the leading vote-getter for the 2015 NBA All-Star game, nabbing over 1.5 million votes, even topping LeBron James by over 50,000 votes. According to an SFgate.com article Curry has become the league's most effective endorser with a ranking 7% better than the aforementioned James and 4% greater than Dwayne Wade.
Last year Curry signed an endorsement deal with Under Armour after his rookie deal with NIKE expired. They plan on creating no less than 26 specialty shoes for him. He is also now a mainstay for State Farm’s marketing campaign featuring Chris & “Cliff” Paul along with Curry and his “twin” Sebastian. Curry also has a deal with Degree and another with Muscle Milk. Curry is known for being a genuine and loyal spokesperson which is why in 2014 when a Muscle Milk competitor offered Curry three times the money and agreed to pay any penalty for breach of contract with Muscle Milk, Curry turned it down without a second thought according to a 2014 Bloomberg business article.
Consumers and fans relate to Curry’s underdog persona and love his overall likeability. He is a revelation in a current sports scene mired by domestic violence, scandal, and general poor behavior off the field of play. Parents and kids alike see Curry as a role model and trusted spokesperson.
Steph Curry has used his genuine persona, on-court success, and overall nice guy appeal to become the apple of the sports marketing world’s eye. There is no other name in basketball, and maybe all of sports that are as hot and as valuable as Curry’s is right now. The last year has been great for Curry and is on track to get even better.