Breaking Down the New Nike Kevin Durant KD V Shoes

Sneakerheads still basking in the glow of recent releases from the Jordan brand and the LeBron X's will have to collect excitement once again, as Nike has officially released the design of Kevin Durant's latest signature shoe, the KD V.

A rousing success in Nike's ever-growing shoe empire, the Durant line of shoes has become renowned among basketball players for its innovation and creativity in design. 

The fifth installment will be released in the NikeiD store beginning on Nov. 6 before being distributed to major retailers on Dec. 8, just in time for the holiday season.

Nonetheless, with so many kicks being released in the late autumn months, it's oftentimes difficult for one pair of kicks to stand out above the rest. 

Can Durant's fifth release be the winner of the fall? Here's a look at how the KD V shoes grade out. 

"WOW" Factor: 8 out of 10

Obviously, this all depends on what your definition of what having a "wow" factor truly means. 

For me, it comes down to the following question: If you're wearing these shoes, will people look at them?

And for the KD V's, the answer is an unequivocal yes. Whether you love the crimson and almost glow-in-the-dark yellow-green colorway—based on the Maryland state flag—or find it nauseating, it's undeniable that these are eye-catching.

Casual consumers may be the ones most disappointed with the Maryland-based colorway, as these kicks aren't exactly designed to go with your daily wardrobe.

Either way, in an era where it takes University of Oregon levels of flash to impress a crowd, the KD V's are certainly a showstopper. Whether the colorway succeeds or fails (my choice) is mostly up to the eye of the beholder. 

Design: 8.5 out of 10

First of all, I'll say what we're all thinking: I hope that these come in more attractive colorways in the future because the design is on-point.

Despite the odd choice in coloring, the designers do a fantastic job at trying to make the mismatched look work. 

What has to stick out most to any Durant fan is the commitment to the number five.

The number means a significant amount to KD and that's shown on the shoe. Meant to represent the five players on the court, five sides to the Pentagon building (which is in Durant's hometown, Washington, D.C.) and the fifth installment of his sneaker, intricate homages to the number are seen throughout the KD V.

It's that type of attention to detail that separates your standard basketball shoe from one designed specifically to cater to an athlete's desires. 

Overall: 6 out of 10

Though the intricate design gives me respect for the designer and Durant's attention to detail, there is almost no circumstance where I would take these kicks outside of the gym.

While ultimately these are shoes designed for basketball, we've seen countless instances in the past where a basketball shoe translates very well into casual wear—particularly with the Jordan brand.

Couple that with a colorway that leaves something to be desired aesthetically, and you get a pair of kicks I'll probably pass on buying.

A great collector's item for any Durant fan and a solid shoe for the up-and-coming ballers, but there is too much lacking here for the casual consumer.

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