Steph Curry’s auction of the 70-plus pairs of shoes he wore this season as a sneaker free agent raised $1.7 million for his Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation, according to a Wednesday announcement from Sotheby’s and Curry.
Curry announced earlier this month that more than 70 pairs of shoes would be auctioned through Sotheby’s from April 13-28, with proceeds benefiting Curry’s foundation. The auction attracted more than 400 bidders, and every pair sold.
Eat. Learn. Play., founded by Curry and his wife, Ayesha, supports healthy meals, reading and an active lifestyle for children in Oakland, Calif.
Curry and Under Armour announced they were mutually parting ways last November. Under Armour released its last pair of signature Curry shoes in February.
After that announcement, Curry began wearing a variety of shoes across multiple brands throughout the season. He featured different pairs as he arrived at games, then changed pairs for pregame warm-ups and even before the start of games.
It became a way for Curry to honor basketball greats and history by highlighting them with his footwear. Curry once wore a retro pair of the black Converse Weapon in Boston, a nod to the shoe made famous by Boston Celtics great Larry Bird.
“This whole journey started as a way to have some fun with the game and tell stories through what I was wearing every night, but it turned into something much bigger than I ever expected,” Curry said in a statement. “Seeing the response from fans and collectors around the world, and knowing that every pair is now going on to have a life beyond me, is really special. What means the most is that this moment is creating real impact off the court through Eat. Learn. Play., and that’s always been the goal.”
Curry’s 2010 Nike Hyperdunk Player Edition shoe, worn during his Christmas Day game, sold for $121,600 after 22 bids. The Nike Kobe 6 Protro “Mambacita Sweet 16” he wore the first night of his sneaker free agency sold for $76,800 after an initial estimate of $3,000 to $5,000. That Kobe Bryant signature shoe pays homage to his daughter Gianna, who was with Bryant during their fatal helicopter crash in January 2020. The Anta Kai 3 “Chinese New Year” edition (Kyrie Irving’s signature shoe), Nike Kobe 4 Gold Medal and Nike Kobe 4 Protro “CHBL” worn by Curry all sold at $70,400 each.
Curry wore multiple signature models by women’s players, as well. His Nike Sabrina 3s — the signature shoe of New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu — sold for $64,000.
