Kevin Durant on why his shoes went from $88 to $150

[TheGreatShowtime]

It’s an unavoidable topic.

My personal favorite KD shoes to play in are the KD2 and KD9. One was $88 and the other is $150.

Early on, the narrative from both Nike and Durant was that they were looking to have the KD sneaker line be affordable for his fans, after Kevin’s own relatable humble upbringing. The early shoes were definitely no frills and low tech, but they were also efficient, simple and performed well.

From $88 to $95, we soon saw subsequent jumps to $115, $130, $150 and then an exceedingly steep $180 last year on the KD8.

Durant is extremely cognizant of those who feel he’s priced them out, but both he and his team at Nike feel they’ve gotten to a good zone by bringing the KD9 back to the $150 level.

The 9 features perhaps more innovation than any prior KD shoe, with its new Flyknit construction, full-length best-in-class Zoom Air unit and a detailed translucent outsole. “You get a $250 shoe for like $150,” he jokes.

A decade in, KD is also not shying away from the fact that his game and his status in the league have evolved — and he feels his footwear and marketing should reflect that.

“As humbly as I can say it, I’m not a $88 player. I’m an elite player in the league,” Durant responds. “I wanted everything to be affordable, but I knew we had to sacrifice some stuff. I just wanted the fans of the brand and of the shoe to just stay patient with me. And stay patient with who I am as a player, and the level I was trying to go to.”

He’s since become a league MVP through the course of his professional journey, and as he’s added more and more to his game, he’s become one of the most dynamic scorers in NBA history. The shoes have followed along with that trajectory over the years, adding more from year to year as well.

“On these shoes, you get it all, and for a nice price,” continues Durant. “You get the newest innovation, you get the newest Zoom bag, and you get my story along with it. If you’re a fan of what I do in the game of basketball, this is perfect for you. As I evolved as a player, I knew that the shoes, in order for it to stay on the same course and trajectory [that I was headed], I might have to come up a bit on some of the stuff I said earlier. Hopefully people understand, and I think a lot of people have.”

That full heel turn on the same day Hollywood Hogan joined the NWO 20 years ago

 

[Richard Wright]

Ive been saying Durant should go full villain since his MVP year. Not like this though. KD has gotten scary mean

 

[Big Boss]

 

[Remote]

He ain't for the hood either.

Starbury with the $20 shoes

 

[The War Report]

They're all just following the blueprint of the GOAT. :mjpls2:

 

[Big Boss]

Nike told him to go to golden state

 

[Supercoolmayo]

Taking tips from the best

 

[blackestofpanthers]

He ain't for the hood either.

Starbury with the $20 shoes

Shaq started it with his walmart and payless shoes but nobody gives him credit.

 

[Big Boss]

Durant remembers having three pairs of shoes when he was a teenager and having one pair that he wore all around Seat Pleasant, Md.

"We couldn't afford the Pennys, the Pippens, the Jordans," Durant told The Oklahoman on Thursday. "I had one pair of Team Jordan's, and I wore them everywhere. I hooped in them, played football in them. I had some Shaqs from K-Mart and a pair of Tim Duncans. But I couldn't get a bunch of different ones like I wanted."

"If they were $125 I wasn't getting them, but $88, that's reasonable," Durant said. "Plus, I had a brother, too, so my mom wasn't paying $120 for two pairs of shoes. I put them at $88 and a lot of people have been buying them and that's what it's been like for the last couple years."

"I told Nike to make a foamposite pair of the KD IV," Durant said. "Hopefully people in DC will pick them up and support me. They always do that anyway but I'm sure if I throw some foams out there they will do it even more."






Kevin Durant keeps signature shoes affordable

 

[David_TheMan]

stupid answer, he isn't a $150 player either or a $180 player.
Should have just said he has high quality shoes because he wants his name associated with high quality.
Sorry if others can't afford them but its okay there are other shoes out there for them, like rebooks and saucony

 

[KnickstapeCity]

fukk KD....

fukkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk Kevinnnnnnn Duuuuurrraaaanntttttt

@dora_da_destroyer @dayun @Blackthoughts

 

[Richard Wright]

Shaq started it with his walmart and payless shoes but nobody gives him credit.

Yo that was low key respectable as hell. I remember as one of the kids who couldn't afford anything but payless, you felt a sense of pride in some shaqs. Like I might just pull down the rim at recess today

 

[Big Boss]

He ain't for the hood either.

Starbury with the $20 shoes

 

[无名的]

And all those Chinese children putting them together for $0.50 an hour 18 hours a day sleeping in the factory won't see a dime of it

 

[Rev]

you looked like a $40 player in games 6 and 7 of that series vs. GSW