On June 1, 2026, NBA star Stephen Curry signed a 10-year, $400 million endorsement deal with Chinese sportswear company Li-Ning, marking one of the largest apparel partnerships in professional basketball. The agreement ends his 13-year relationship with Under Armour and signals Li-Ning’s most aggressive push yet into the U.S. sportswear market.
For Li-Ning, one of China’s largest athletic apparel companies, landing Curry represents its biggest endorsement deal yet. But despite its success overseas and growing roster of NBA athletes, the brand remains largely unknown to many American consumers. Its challenge reflects a larger question facing Chinese companies entering the U.S. market: can strong products overcome political tensions, trade barriers and consumer skepticism?
Founded in 1990 by Olympic gymnast Li Ning, the company has grown into one of China’s leading sportswear brands. The company is one of the most preferred sports apparel companies by Chinese consumers, only second to Nike.
Li-Ning first entered the U.S. market in 2010 and opened a flagship store in Portland, Oregon, Nike’s hometown, as part of an ambitious effort to establish itself in the world’s largest sportswear market. However, the expansion was short-lived.
By 2012, the company had closed the store and shifted its focus back to China after demand failed to meet expectations. The retreat came during one of the most challenging periods in Li-Ning’s history, with net profit falling 65 percent in 2011, prompting a major restructuring that included store closures, leadership changes and investment from TPG Capital.
For more than a decade afterward, Li-Ning’s presence in the United States was largely limited to e-commerce through Dwyane Wade’s successful Way of Wade sneaker line. The company’s recent signing of Stephen Curry marks its most significant return to the American market and signals a renewed effort to compete in the highly competitive U.S. sportswear industry.
Basketball has become one of Li-Ning’s primary entry points into the American market. The company signed NBA Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade in 2012 and later added players including Jimmy Butler, D’Angelo Russell and CJ McCollum. Curry’s signing represents its most ambitious attempt yet to gain recognition among U.S. consumers.
Still, brand awareness remains low, according to consumers interviewed for this piece. Most of them said that they regularly purchased products from major athletic brands before but were unfamiliar with Li-Ning. Yet, they were optimistic about the expansion of more high-quality sports brands from overseas.
“I don’t care where my clothes come from as long as it’s ethical and doesn’t have holes after 2 days,” said Wesley Ryan, 35. Having lived in Hong Kong for more than a decade, Ryan said quality and durability matter more to him than a company’s country of origin. He added that he would return to brands that prioritized longevity over fast fashion that keeps consumers constantly buying.
Other consumers prioritize affordability. Grace Kane, 22, said price remains the deciding factor when shopping for clothing and athletic wear.
“If I had heard of a company with better quality at a lower price, I wouldn’t hesitate to buy from there,” she said.
Those views could benefit companies like Li-Ning, which often sell products at lower prices than Western competitors while also emphasizing performance and quality. Yet, they also reveal one of the company’s biggest issues in its expansion strategy.
Unlike Nike, Adidas or Under Armour, Li-Ning lacks the name recognition in the U.S. that drives many purchasing decisions. Even consumers open to trying newer brands may never encounter the company while shopping in-store or across the most popular sports shopping platforms such as JD, Foot Locker or Champs.
However, consumer preferences are only one obstacle. Chinese companies face growing political scrutiny in the United States amid rising tensions between Washington and Beijing. Lawmakers have raised concerns about labor practices and corporate ties to the Chinese government.
In a statement to ESPN, Rep. Chris Smith, a New Jersey Republican and member of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, called for scrutiny of Li-Ning imports, arguing that American businesses shouldn’t ignore concerns surrounding forced labor allegations linked to supply chains in China’s Xinjiang region.
Still, Li-Ning sees opportunity in the U.S. market. In its 2025 annual results announcement, the company reported revenue of 29.598 billion yuan ( $4.11 billion), up 3.2% from the year before. Net profit reached 2.936 billion yuan ( $408 million), resulting in a net profit margin of 9.9%.
Executives said they expected revenue growth in the “high single digits” in 2026 as the company continues investing in product innovation, specialty sports categories and Olympic-related marketing. The company also planned to increase advertising and sponsorship spending as it enters the second year of its Olympic partnership cycle.
In its first quarter of 2026, the company remained financially strong, with about 19.97 billion yuan ($2.8 billion) in net profit. However, executives acknowledge that long-term global growth will depend not just on finances, but on building trust and recognition in overseas markets.
Looking towards the rest of the year, Li-Ning said it will focus on technological product upgrades under a “single brand, multi-category, diversified channels” strategy. They expect to create more Olympic partnerships, expand beyond core sports into areas such as outdoor wear and integrate new materials and design innovation to improve performance and appeal.
Curry’s partnership with Li-Ning offers a glimpse of visibility in the American sports apparel market. Whether that translates into lasting success will depend on more than endorsements.
Above all, the Chinese company must convince American consumers that its products are worth trying while still navigating the political and economic factors beyond basketball.
