Sotheby’s auction of Stephen Curry‘s “sneaker free agency” shoes realized $1.7 million, with 100 percent of lots sold and proceeds benefiting his and wife Ayesha Curry’s nonprofit organization, the Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation.
“The Stephen Curry Collection: My Sneaker Free Agency” auction, which was open for online bidding from April 13 to 28, drew more than 400 bidders from nearly 30 countries, with a total of 2,350 bids placed. The collection included more than 70 sneakers worn by Curry during moments from the 2025-26 NBA season, including games, tunnel walks and pre-game warm-ups. He entered the unprecedented free agency period following his split from long-term partner Under Armour, which was announced in November and sparked speculation about which brand he might get in business with next.
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Curry said in a statement, “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. 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.”
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The headliner of the auction was a pair of 2010 Nike Hyperdunk PEs, which Curry wore during warm-ups for his first Christmas Day game, ultimately selling for $121,600 after 22 bids. This was the only pair he had worn previously worn in an NBA game and revisited during the free agency period. Nine bidders fought for Curry’s Nike Kobe 6 Protro “Mambacita Sweet 16” sneakers, leading to a final total of $76,800, fetching more than 15 times its presale estimate of $3,000 to $5,000. This is the pair Curry laced up on the first night of his sneaker free agency.
To name a few other highlights from the auction, the ANTA KAI 3 “Chinese New Year” edition sold for $70,400; a pair of Nike Kobe 4 Gold Medal sneakers achieved $70,400 as well, and the Nike Kobe 4 Protro “CHBL,” realized the same price.
Brahm Wachter, Sotheby’s head of modern collectables, said in a statement, “We are deeply humbled to have had the opportunity to work alongside Stephen Curry and the Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation to exclusively present this extraordinary collection at auction. From the moment bidding opened to the final minutes of the sale, we saw overwhelming interest, with the majority of lots achieving more than 25 bids. More importantly, it has been a privilege for Sotheby’s to help channel the excitement surrounding this unprecedented chapter in Stephen’s career into meaningful proceeds and awareness for a cause that is making a tangible impact in children’s lives.”
The Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation supports children’s well-being by providing access to nutritious meals, quality reading resources and opportunities to play.
Chris Helfrich, president and CEO of Eat. Learn. Play., said in a statement, “What makes this so powerful is that it connects culture to real, tangible impact for the kids and families we serve every day. The excitement around Stephen’s sneaker free agency brought people together in a unique way, and now that energy is being directly reinvested into programs that support access to nutritious meals, literacy and safe places to play. Thanks to Stephen and Ayesha’s commitment to covering all of our administrative and fundraising costs, every dollar raised through this auction goes straight into the work, which makes this moment even more meaningful for the communities we serve.”