Curry, Brady encouraged Embiid to sign with Under Armour

Joel Embiid's sneaker free agency officially came to an end Wednesday with Under Armour announcing that it signed the Philadelphia 76ers center to an endorsement deal.

And according to Nick DePaula of ESPN, Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry and New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady both had a hand in convincing Embiid to sign with the brand.

Embiid received text messages from the company ambassadors encouraging him to join them following his pitch meeting with Under Armour in late August.

From DePaula:

Within the next week, Under Armour's current face of the company, Stephen Curry, sent Embiid a welcoming text message, encouraging him to join the brand and help grow the company together. In many ways, the brand feels the 76ers star serves as a great complement to the Warriors' three-time champion, as the two represent opposite coasts and basketball positions, and have different footwear preferences.

Soon after, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, whom Embiid simply refers to as "The GOAT," sent a text message to offer up his excitement for Embiid to also potentially be signing on with the brand. He has long stated that the five-time Super Bowl champion is his all-time favorite football player.

Embiid's deal with Under Armour is reportedly for five years and makes him the highest-paid big man in the NBA.