Stephen Curry to play in Under Armour low-tops for first time

OAKLAND, Calif. -- For the first time since having his own Under Armour signature line of sneakers, Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry will play in a mid-low shoe, the guard told ESPN.

His brand-new Curry 5 low shoe was unveiled last week on March 14, his 30th birthday. Technically, it's a 5/8-inch silhouette.

Listed as probable, Curry said he will wear the kicks along with ankle braces in Friday's game against the Atlanta Hawks, his first game back after missing the past six contests to nurse a tweaked right ankle.

Curry has always worn a mid- or high-top shoe as well as braces during competition due to his history with ankle injuries.

"These shoes are an evolution in my signature series and engineered to work in tandem with my braces better than any shoe previously," Curry told ESPN.

"I wanted to switch it up a little bit with a light shoe that could help speed the game up for me," he said. "It is kind of ironic that I made the switch this season considering my ankle issues, but this shoe is stable and engineered to maximize my performance. I will still wear my ankle braces, but I have total comfort and security in my new shoe."

High-top shoes typically aren't a best-seller mostly because of the difficulty in coordinating them with everyday clothes. Curry's line has always had all versions, but he played in only the high-tops, which is the version most fans see.

He admitted that style played a part in the change, as well. He made his feelings known in a meeting with Under Armour almost two years ago.

"It was like my Forrest Gump moment where I envisioned playing without my braces," he said. "... When people took pictures of my shoes, the braces distracted what the shoe looks like and it made it look a little bulky. I was like, 'I just want to get to a point where I can get my ankles strong enough that when I'm out there on the court with my new shoes, I'm looking good in my new shoes and I don't have to wear these braces to dumb it down.'

"But I had to take a step back and say I can have the best of both worlds. I can have a dope shoe that's a low that still can fit a brace that makes sure that I'm good to go. This was years in the making."

During the 2016 NBA Finals, UA released a new colorway of the Curry 2 lows. The 6-foot-3 guard contemplated wearing them in the series, but Warriors general manager Bob Myers and his agent, Jeff Austin, talked him out of it, according to ESPN's Darren Rovell.

This time around, all parties are of one accord.

"It turned out well," Curry said. "I'm happy with it."