In sneaker news, Nike and Kevin Durant have just released the first official glimpse of their latest collaboration, with details suggesting that it’s the most technically advanced sneaker to date.
The new model is the 12th signature sneaker of Durant’s, which features a full-length Nike Air Zoom cushioning stitched directly into the upper; a first for the Nike brand. The purpose behind the design is to allow the foot to be closer to the airbag, which should provide the broken-in feel that all basketball players desire when they take the court.
Meanwhile, the upper is interlaced with four-way directional Flywire cables to provide stability, with cables that relax and engage when needed based on the player’s movement. Furthermore, there’s additional padding around the collar that hugs the ankle to provide even more stability, which has been a point of significance for Durant throughout his career.
“He loved lows but he has had problems popping out of his shoes a lot,” said Leo Chang, the lead designer at Nike Basketball. “He wants to be locked in and we wanted to make sure he stays in the shoe” while adding that “the sneaker is a little bit higher than normal.”
In terms of colorways, the first will be described as “’90s Kid,” inspired by Durant’s favorite era of Nike sneakers. From there, a black and white design will be released that same week. Durant reportedly started to test the sneaker out in October and will debut them on Saturday, when he plays his old team in Oklahoma City. As for it’s official release to the public, the ’90s Kid colorway will be released on April 1st with the black and white colorway slated for April 6th, and both will sell for the retail price of $150.