Steph Curry doesn't have his own Li-Ning signature shoe yet, but a handful of pairs from his testing days are about to hit shelves. The catch is you'll only be able to grab them during his China tour next month.
Four Way of Wade 12 colorways lead the drop, landing in black, white, pale pink, and teal. Each one keeps things mostly tonal, letting Curry's reworked logo do the talking on the tongue and heel instead of loud color blocking. A black Jimmy Butler 4 joins the group too, tied to the "Batman" bit that's followed Butler around the Warriors locker room all year.
None of this is actually new territory design-wise. Curry wore nearly every one of these pairs last season while bouncing between brands as a sneaker free agent, well before Li-Ning ever entered the picture. This release just turns those game-worn moments into something fans can finally buy.
The tour itself runs September 9th through 14th, hitting Beijing, Dongguan, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong. Until Curry's true signature shoe shows up, these PEs are the clearest signal yet of how Li-Ning plans to build out his branding.
Steph Curry x Li-Ning PE Sneakers
Curry's Li-Ning deal reportedly runs 10 years and $400 million, making it one of the biggest sneaker contracts a Chinese brand has ever handed out. Dwyane Wade, who signed with Li-Ning back in 2012, has already called Curry's move validation for the path he started.
That link runs deeper than just business talk. Curry's early PEs sit on the exact silhouette Wade built his whole signature line around, blending two very different NBA eras under one shoe.
China isn't just a stop on this tour either, it's the backbone of Li-Ning's entire business. Almost all of the brand's revenue comes from the domestic market, which makes Curry's presence there worth more than typical appearance money.
A full signature shoe is still coming down the line. For now, this limited run gives fans their first real shot at owning a piece of the deal.
