Ahead of his 12th appearance in the NBA Playoffs and first with the Phoenix Suns, Kevin Durant’s newfound scenery in the Grand Canyon state’s scorching hot desert has positioned the two-time Champion alongside Devin Booker and Chris Paul as the Western Conference favorites. While the cohort of All-Stars will kick off their first-round matchup against the Clippers on Sunday, Durant could be sporting his latest signature silhouette, the Nike KD 16.
Previewed amongst a fitting Phoenix desert backdrop, Durant took to Instagram on Friday night to debut the first look at a trio of Nike KD 16s sitting atop the glochids of cacti. Similar to the pattern employed atop the Nike KD 14’s upper, a textured multi-layer mesh stretches atop the forefoot and heel while a synthetic mudguard wraps along the entirety of the model. Packaged within a sleek, streamlined construction as has been archetypal within his signature series, here the 15’s mid-foot TPU caging system is updated with porous ventilation at both the lateral and medial side and bled onto the forefoot’s split midsole. Most likely housing Zoom Air within its heel, KD branding is placed atop the tongue tabs while the pair’s Swooshes are reserved for the upper collar similar to that of the Air Max 95.
As is typical with NBA signatures more than eight months into their lifecycle, we could see the Nike KD 16 hit the court for the first time as early as this Sunday. While we await to see which colorway Durant may potentially break out, in the meantime enjoy a first look at the Nike KD 16 below.
For more signatures from underneath the Nike Inc. banner, Jayson Tatum’s latest Jordan Tatum 1 mirrors aesthetics from the Air Jordan 12 and his 1960s Mustang.
UPDATE April 17, 2023:
Kevin Durant wore an all-black pair of the Nike KD 16 in a loss to the Los Angeles Clippers last night. Photos by Jim Poorten via Instagram user nbakicks
Photos: easymoneysniper