Kevin Durant Shoes 2014 Release Dates: KD VII 'Lifestyle', KD 7 'Premium' Drop Nov. 22
Kevin Durant's on-court bludgeoning might have halted, no thanks to the broken bone in his foot, but the Oklahoma City Thunder forward's brand is not stopping. On Saturday, two of his Nike shoe models will be released.
The KD VII "Lifestyle's" Business in Black will be available in sizes 7-13, 14 and 15 on Nike.com, starting 8 a.m. EST. The Black/Black-Metallic Gold colorway is priced at $115.
According to the website, the new lifestyle silhouette pays tribute to the athlete's hard work behind the scenes, as reflected by his every basketball game.
The black base symbolizes the unseen effort in practices, the report said. The shape, in tumbled leather and with tribal details alluding to the heritage of Oklahoma City, were all chosen with Durant's preferences in mind.
The colorway is a nod to the fact that fans are attracted to Durant because of his "down-to-earth nature and near-superhuman talents," the report said. It features leather lace loops, a laser-etched Swoosh and an icy midsole.
According to Complex, the Lifestyle line has been a hard sell, with shoe collectors preferring the loud-colored shoes over the rather uptight colorways it releases. However, it agrees that the line has been making a bold statement.
With the black version that comes out over the weekend, the report believes doubters might think twice because of the classic, more versatile look.
"An icy white sole keeps the sportswear look present, and gold eyelets add just a tiny bit of shimmer. Rich brown and teal woven tags on the heel and tongue finish the look," the report said, just to put in the right amount of "modern."
On the same Saturday, Nike.com will also be selling KD 7 "Premium" for $170, in the Midnight Navy/Bright Crimson/Metallic Gold colorway, aka Midnight Navy.
Available in sizes 8-12, 13 and 14 at one pair per customer, the model is dipped in metallic gold to look like a trophy. The Midnight Navy makes a peek-a-boo, while the Bright Crimson highlights are featured on the tongue and Flywire. There are stars subtly printed on the inner lining.
Saying the "Midnight Navy" moniker is too generic and does not necessarily capture the grandness of the design, Uproxx said the shoe should instead be called "Kicks KD Would Have Worn If He Participated In The FIBA World Cup."
"No other way around it, these were tailor-made to be prominently displayed while winning a gold medal," the reviewer said, adding that the narrative behind the colorway was basically "What Could Have Been," with Nike sending it to the racks even as Durant bowed out of the national team.
According to Sneaker News, "Midnight Navy" is the first in the KD 7 line to sell north of the $150-price-point.
The models will be released with four other products, including the Nike SB Blazer Low GT at $80, LeBron 12 "Instinct" at $200, Air Jordan 13 Retro Girls "Hyper Pink" at $130 and the Nike Air Force 1 CMFT "Kyrie Irving" at $150. It will also launch the Nike SB X Poler 2014 Collection.