Stephen Curry made an emphatic statement with his team-high 29 points while coming off the bench in his return. After missing multiple scrimmages and 27 games, the Golden State Warriors did not miss a beat. What the 4x NBA champion also did not miss was celebrating the legacies of other NBA and WNBA stars, which he has been doing all season.
After Stephen Curry’s breakup with Under Armor, he’s worn all types of shoes, and this game was no exception. The 2x MVP has maintained that his goal is to pay tribute to players, teams, cities, and important elements of basketball history – not to send a message to potential business partners. For his return game against the Rockets, the choice of shoe on the hardwood was All-Star Game” Li-Ning Way of Wade 12 LUX.
Dwyane Wade noticed it and was quick to appreciate this gesture. “One of the greatest players and one of my 
’s chose to wear my signature way of wade 12 “All-Star game” A shoe I dubb “MOMENTS “ in his first game back! I am honored @StephenCurry30 I 
you @WayofWade”. Apart from his tweet, the Heat legend also shared the Bleacher Report Kicks post about the same on his Instagram story. In fact, D-Wade also commented on that post: “He can do all things 
.”
One of the greatest players and one of my
’s chose to wear my signature way of wade 12 “All-Star game” A shoe I dubb “MOMENTS “ in his first game back! I am honored @StephenCurry30 I
you @WayofWade
— DWade (@DwyaneWade) April 6, 2026
He even wore them during practice yesterday, making it clear that the shoe brand is quite comfortable for him. Especially now, when the Dub Nation’s favorite is dealing with a runner’s knee issue, which was the reason for his absence. It was not the first time this season that Stephen Curry has worn Way of Wade sneakers.
In January, against the Utah Jazz, the 38-year-old had Wade 12 ‘Liberty’ on his feet. Since Dwyane Wade is a minority owner of the Utah Jazz, the shout-out was very obvious. He did the same when the Warriors faced the Heat. Curry wore the Way of Wade 12 ‘Obsidian’, a black colorway honoring The Flash.
Thus, the Warriors superstar is making the best use of his sneaker-free agency tour. He almost won them the game on his return, which would have been another chapter of his basketball lore.
Stephen Curry has his eyes set on the postseason
It was 14 years ago when Steph last came off the bench during a regular-season game. Against the Rockets, Curry came off the bench with 4:54 left in the first quarter. The Chase Center was jubilant to see their superstar and cheered him with a standing ovation that lasted close to a minute. Even the head coach felt a different energy tonight.
“I mean, obviously, very different energy out there, maybe than the last few games,” Kerr said. “We’re back in the mix. You know, we’re back in the fight with Steph. Steph had 20 shots in 26 minutes. Steph looked amazing. He’s worked really hard for this.”
On the last play, Stephen Curry attempted a buzzer-beater, and if only Brandin Podziemski could set up a double-screen, it would have been a less contested shot. But the 4x NBA champion is not focused on the loss, but on the process towards the playoffs.
“We have two meaningful games, hopefully down the stretch,” Curry said, referring to the NBA play-in tournament next week. “But this is meaningful basketball in the sense of preparing ourselves for that moment. It’s not like we can just sleepwalk through these last four games and not focus on details that will help us win a do-or-die game and then do it again.”
A win or a loss right now does not matter; the Warriors have a guaranteed Play-in spot. For now, Curry is more focused on the process as he gets to full fitness.
