Rockets' Kevin Durant's Pink Nike KD 18 'Aunt Pearl' Shoes Revealed in New Photos
Kevin Durant's beloved Aunt Pearl is being honored in the latest iteration of his Nike KD 18 sneakers.
The first images of the upcoming Nike KD 18 "Aunt Pearl" shoes were unveiled on Monday.
Durant has honored his Aunt Pearl, who helped raise him along with his mother and grandmother, on each of his signature shoe releases since 2012 when the KD 4 was released.
Pearl died in 2000 due to lung cancer when Durant was 12 years old. He explained in January 2017 that she was the person he talked with the most in his family while growing up.
"I was a quiet kid, I didn’t really have friends," Durant said. "I talked to her even more than my mom and my grandma and my brother. I talked to her a lot and she realized how important basketball was to me."
When Nike announced the KD 6 "Aunt Pearl" sneaker in 2014, Durant emphasized how important it was for him to make sure her legacy lived on.
“I made a promise to myself to always honor my Aunt Pearl for the example she set, and the encouragement she gave me to follow my dreams,” said Durant.
Proceeds from sales of the "Aunt Pearl" shoes go to the Kay Yow Cancer Fund that is dedicated to fighting all forms of cancer that affect women.
The "Aunt Pearl" is among the most popular and valuable iterations of the KD shoes Nike releases.
Nike has not yet announced an official release date or price tag for the Nike KD 18 “Aunt Pearl" shoes.
