Curry Basketball Shoes: Flow Traction, the Numbered Line and Who Makes It Now
The numbered Curry models run on Under Armour Flow, a rubberless outsole, and that single decision explains most of how these shoes play.
Which company makes Curry basketball shoes?
Li-Ning makes Curry basketball shoes under a 10-year Curry Brand partnership signed in June 2026. Under Armour made them for 12 years until November 2025, and the Curry 13 was its final Curry model.
The change matters to a buyer in two practical ways. Every Curry model described on this page was built under Under Armour, so the Flow construction covered below applies to the numbered Under Armour models, not to the rubber-soled 3Z series or to anything released under the new partnership. And an ending line is a discounting line: Under Armour stock has been clearing well below retail, which is worth knowing before paying full price for a numbered model.
Curry Brand launched as an Under Armour sub-brand on 1 December 2020, seven years into the partnership, and Stephen Curry kept sole ownership of the label when the partnership ended.
The parent brand's current range is covered separately in Under Armour Basketball Shoes, which sets out what replaced the Curry line.
What is Under Armour Flow, and how does Flow change traction?
Flow is a rubberless outsole. Under Armour built the Curry 8, 9 and 10 with Flow foam as both midsole and outsole, and the Curry 13 pairs a Flow outsole with HOVR+ cushioning. Removing rubber saves weight and wears differently.
Flow is not unique to Stephen Curry's shoes. Under Armour also used a Flow outsole on the Curry Fox 1, De'Aaron Fox's first signature model, so Flow is a technology shared across Under Armour signature lines rather than the property of one.
On clean indoor hardwood
Flow grips well on a clean indoor floor and saves weight, because RunRepeat's Curry 11 review attributes a considerable weight reduction to the missing rubber sole. Under Armour describes the Curry 13's Flow outsole as built for grip through cuts, stops and rapid direction changes.
Dust is the limitation. Without rubber siping to channel debris, a dusty floor reduces grip faster than it would on a herringbone rubber outsole, so wiping matters more.
On outdoor asphalt
Flow is a poor outdoor choice. Foam abrades far faster than rubber on rough surfaces, so an outdoor player wears through the outsole in a fraction of the time a rubber-soled shoe lasts. Buy a rubber-outsoled model for outdoor play and keep Flow for indoors.
Which Curry basketball shoes can you buy?
Curry basketball shoes you can buy are Under Armour stock: the numbered line, ending with the Curry 13, and the lower-priced 3Z series. The numbered models use Flow outsoles; the 3Z series uses a rubber outsole.
| Model | Tier | Built for |
|---|---|---|
| Curry 13 | Final Under Armour flagship | The newest generation of the numbered line, and the last built under Under Armour |
| Curry 12 | Previous flagship | Guards wanting low weight at a reduced price once superseded |
| Curry 11 | Previous flagship | The same brief at a reduced price once superseded |
| Curry 10 | Earlier flagship | An older generation of the numbered line, with Flow as midsole and outsole |
| Curry 3Z series | Budget | Recreational play and outdoor use |
| Curry Flow / Flotro | Tooling variant | Players who specifically want the rubberless setup |
Who are Curry basketball shoes best for?
Curry basketball shoes suit indoor guards who want a light, low-to-the-ground shoe. The line is built around quick direction changes and court feel rather than around impact protection for heavy landings.
Where Curry Brand does well
- Saves weight by removing the rubber outsole layer
- Grips strongly on clean indoor hardwood
- Offers a genuine budget tier in the 3Z series
- Comes in grade-school sizes, including the Curry 13 and Curry 3Z 25
Where Curry Brand falls short
- Wears out quickly outdoors, since foam replaces rubber on the outsole
- Loses grip faster than rubber on a dusty floor
- Offers less impact cushioning than bigger players usually want
Do Curry basketball shoes fit youth players?
Curry basketball shoes fit youth players through grade-school sizing: Under Armour lists grade-school versions of the Curry 13 and the Curry 3Z 25.
Grade-school sizing is common across signature lines rather than special to Curry; the Nike brand page on this site records grade-school Sabrina, Kobe and KD models too. Whether the grade-school Curry 13 keeps the Flow outsole is not confirmed here.
What comes before choosing a brand?
The court you play on and the fit you need come before brand choice. Basketball Shoes covers that first decision — cut height, traction, cushioning, position fit and budget.
A brand page narrows the field once you know what you are looking for. The selection guide comes first if you do not.