Kevin Durant
Drafted with the 2nd overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft to the Seattle Supersonics, Kevin Durant has seen a lifetime’s worth of experiences within the League. From his first nine seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder to his highly derided decision to join the Golden State Warriors, the Slim Reaper found himself with Brooklyn Nets for three seasons, forming a failed superstar trio between him, Kyrie Irving, James Harden and at one point, Ben Simmons.
In February 2023, Durant’s trade request from Brooklyn was met just days after his running mate, Kyrie Irving, was traded to the Dallas Mavericks. Hours before the trade deadline, Durant was dealt to the Phoenix Suns in a blockbuster deal. Since that massive transaction, the roster in the desert has been reconfigured around Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal, aiming to build a contender around #7’s generational talent.
Considered one of the greatest scorers of all time, Durant has been dropping buckets in the League for 16 years with four scoring titles, a regular season MVP, back-to-back NBA titles and simultaneous Finals MVPs under his belt.
Durant’s early silhouettes were perfectly timed with the early 2010s obsession with titular storytelling, cementing his on-court kicks legacy with a scintillating three-shoe run between the KD 4, KD 5 and KD 6. Color blocking inspired by his opposing career as a weatherman and childhood memories of shooting on a Nerf hoop further iconized the early years of the 12-time All-Star.
Last employed in a low-top construction with the KD 8, ensuing silhouettes have centered specifically around a mid-top build, fusing an engineered Flyknit upper with full-length Air Zoom cushioning technology underfoot.
Boasting The Swoosh’s current second-longest standing signature line, Durant launched his 17th shoe in April 2024, the new formulation wearing heavy influence from the Air Max Plus. The Nike KD 17 “Producer Pack” provided arguably the splashiest looks for his nascent silhouette, but pairs like the “USA,” “Travel Ball” and “Sunrise,” alluding to various career milestones and formative memories, stand out all the same.
Amid the launch of the KD 17, Durant and Nike began a retro run for his KD 4. Following reprisals for beloved pairs like the “Galaxy” and “Nerf,” the “Aunt Pearl” and “Christmas” colorways are next on the schedule, bringing another set of defining 2010s styles back for a new generation.
From his latest signature basketball to his line’s current retro treatment, for more on Durant and his signature series with the Swoosh, check out the articles below.