Kevin Durant Comments on Price of KD9 Shoes
The price of Kevin Durant's signature shoe has steadily been on the rise in recent years, and although the upcoming KD9 is cheaper than the KD8, the soon-to-be Golden State Warriors star explained his stance on the pricing Wednesday.
According to Nick DePaula of Nice Kicks, early versions of Nike's KD shoes retailed for just $88. The KD8 reached a high-water mark of $180, while the KD9 has been reduced to $150.
Durant told DePaula he believes the overall price rise coincides with his ascent as a player:
"As humbly as I can say it, I'm not a $88 player. I'm an elite player in the league. I wanted everything to be affordable, but I knew we had to sacrifice some stuff. I just wanted the fans of the brand and of the shoe to just stay patient with me. And stay patient with who I am as a player, and the level I was trying to go to.
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The seven-time All-Star and former NBA MVP added that he believes those who buy the KD9 sneakers are still getting a great deal because of all of the bells and whistles that come with them:
"On these shoes, you get it all, and for a nice price. You get the newest innovation, you get the newest Zoom bag, and you get my story along with it. If you're a fan of what I do in the game of basketball, this is perfect for you. As I evolved as a player, I knew that the shoes, in order for it to stay on the same course and trajectory [that I was headed], I might have to come up a bit on some of the stuff I said earlier. Hopefully people understand, and I think a lot of people have.
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Durant spurned the Oklahoma City Thunder in free agency and announced his intention to sign with the Warriors in an open letter for the Players' Tribune on Monday.
Per ESPN.com's Marc Stein, it is expected that the four-time scoring champion will ink a two-year deal worth $54.3 million with the Dubs.
Durant is among the NBA's top players, and he has put himself in position to cement his legacy as a champion by joining the likes of All-Stars Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.
The price of Durant's shoes are representative of his standing in the league, and the Warriors proved that by giving him a huge contract and an opportunity to secure an elusive title.
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