CURRY 7 GETS THE DROP

Stephen Curry plans to keep going at full tilt – in his new kicks.

A broken hand might have put his NBA season on pause after just a handful of games.

But it’s just another in a long of challenges. He’s rarely failed.

The unheeded shooter who helped his Davidson College squad topple some of basketball’s most storied programs en route to the Elite Eight. The uncelebrated NBA rookie who worked his way to two league MVPs, three championships, six NBA All-Star selections, and countless pages in the record books.

And last season, he exceeded his predicted performance by 27%, broke his own 2015-16 season record of 3 Point Field Goals Made Per Game (5.13), and set personal career highs in Playoff Minutes Played (846) and Playoff Points Scored (620) last season.

Now, he’s got further shoe innovation in his locker on top with the Curry 7 dropping on November 1 (UK RRP £120).

The data pointed to a need for a system that would be as dynamic as Stephen’s on-court play, but adaptable to any athlete striving to get better. Something that would enable any athlete in the shoe to cover more ground, respond faster and stay quicker longer. The result is the unique combination of two proprietary and acclaimed Under Armour foam technologies.

UA HOVR is a celebrated foam technology focused on energy return, absorbing and returning impact so players can stay fresh all game long. Micro G, featured in the first UA footwear Stephen wore back in 2013, keeps footwork compact and explosive via a firm, responsive foam in the forefoot, enabling players to change direction instantly.

“We are constantly analysing data around Stephen’s game and use those insights to inform his footwear each season,” Paul Winsper, Under Armour VP of Athlete Performance, said.

“We have to design a shoe that will keep Stephen on the court all season long, and enable him to break his own records year after year. A shoe that will match his innovative game and power athletes around the world.”

The UA design team used translucent layering application to building the upper of the Curry 7, an innovative solve to enhance the basketball player’s range of movement. In the forefoot, textile material offers breathability and flexibility. In the midfoot – where most of the TPU skin and reinforcements are located – structure, support and lockdown are the focus. And in the collar and heel areas, where foam padding is located, comfort is crucial to keep athletes on their game all night long.

In a nice touch, the Pull Tab features three animal characters representing Stephen’s young children, a unicorn for Riley, butterfly for Ryan and wolf for Canon.

“The assist from the Curry 7,” Curry underlined, “to help me be more explosive, more powerful and to have a quicker reaction time off of the ground is important as I look ahead to the new season, and is intuitive enough to help any basketball player looking for best-in-class responsiveness and stability from their footwear.”