- Stephen Curry has an unusual demand for Under Armour when they are making him shoes — they must be loud.
- Curry's shoes must first pass "the squeak test."
- Curry's desire for shoes that are extra squeaky serves a function as it gives him confidence that they are tacky enough to handle his movement on the court.
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Stephen Curry has gotten some social-media flak in the past for his shoes, which at times have been considered too boring. Those giggles have died down with newer models, but one thing is still the same: they are loud.
Yes, loud. As in, the shoes squeak loudly on the court, and that is by design.
According to two people who work at Under Armour, the squeak is one of the most important features for Curry.
Kort Neumann was the lead designer for the Curry 3, and during an interview with ThePostGame, he noted that Curry is heavily involved in the design of the shoes and explained the things that Curry demands in his shoes.
"He likes comfort," Neumann told ThePostGame. "He loves the squeak of traction on the court. He really likes that squeak."
Likewise, Ron Johnson, a senior product line manager for basketball footwear at Under Armour, also noted in an interview with Complex just how important the squeak is to Curry, noting that any shoe design has to pass "the squeak test."
"If he's not hearing 'squeak' as soon as he steps on the court, it's not good enough," Johnson said.
As for why the squeak is so crucial to Curry, it does serve a function.
According to Neumann, "It's kind of an indicator for him that [the shoe] sticks in the ground."
For a player who is so dependent on movement and creating shots, it is easy to imagine why the tackiness would be valuable. And for Curry, the sound gives him that reassurance.
This story was originally posted in 2017 and has been updated.
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