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Stephen Curry warms up in JuJu Watkins Nike PE sneakers ahead of Warriors vs. Pistons

ns_headshot_2024-clearby: Nick Schultz01/31/26NickSchultz_7

As a sneaker free agent after leaving Under Armour, Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry has worn different shoes for warm-ups throughout this season. Friday, he shouted out USC star JuJu Watkins.

Curry donned Watkins’ Nike Player Edition sneakers ahead of the game against the Detroit Pistons. The Nike GT Cut 3 Turbos are in USC colors, featuring the maroon and gold colorway. They officially launched in November 2025 and sold out quickly.

Friday night, the shoes were in the spotlight. Curry had them on ahead of the Warriors’ primetime matchup with the Pistons.

The PEs are part of Watkins’ NIL deal with Nike, which she signed as a high schooler in 2022 while at Chatsworth (Calif.) Sierra Canyon. She then agreed to an extension with the company, which marked one of the richest endorsement deals win women’s basketball, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported at the time.

Watkins has been at the forefront of the NIL era in college sports, and her agreement with Nike is one of her many high-profile deals. She also has partnerships in place with Fanatics and Gatorade, and she also invested in the Unrivaled 3-on-3 women’s basketball league. As part of her endeavors, Watkins is also part of the Boston Legacy NWSL team investment group.

Watkins suffered a torn ACL during last year’s NCAA Tournament, meaning she will miss the entire 2025-26 season. She confirmed her year-long absence in September as USC went through preseason practice.

“These last few months have been filled with a lot of healing, rest, and reflection,” Watkins wrote. “Recovering from this injury hasn’t been easy, and I want to say thank you — your love, support, and kind words have truly lifted me up during one of the most challenging times of my life.

“Because you’ve been with me every steep of the way, I wanted you to hear it from me directly that following the advice of my doctors and trainers, I will sit out this season and fully focus on continuing to recover so I can come back to the game I love.”

Stephen Curry has been searching for a new sneaker home since announcing his departure from Under Armour in November 2025. With the news, he and his Curry Brand went independent. In the time since, the Warriors star has worn multiple different brands – including Nike, adidas, On and Reebok.

“What Curry Brand stands for, what I stand for and my commitment to that mission will never change, it’s only growing stronger,” Curry said in a statement upon parting ways with Under Armour. “I’m excited for a future that’s focused on aggressive growth with a continued commitment to keep showing up for the next generation.”