Sneaker Rewind: Kevin Durant vs. LeBron James
While LeBron James and Kevin Durant are laying back on yachts after going hard for the Larry O'Brien Trophy last month, we decided to have them battle it out once more from a kicks perspective. We took kicks worn by each player during notable career moments and let them face off in a kicks battle royale.
Whose sneaker history is better when it comes to each legend's most meaningful achievements? Check out the matchups below.
.png?w=256)
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Sorry, Seattle fans. Although KD spent his first season (2007-08) in the Pacific Northwest, he never actually wore this colorway of his original sneaker. These later came about as part of KD's "Career Pack," but hey, we can always pretend.
LeBron's Youngest Rookie of the Year—LeBron 1 Air Zoom
You know you're a legend when your sneakers are already being retroed when you're still playing. The LeBron 1 Air Zoom Generation "First Game" from 2003 was rereleased in January, and we can only assume more of the King's kicks are on the way.
WINNER: LEBRON
FIRST YEAR ON NEW TEAMS
KD's First Year on the Warriors— KD IX "Warriors"
With how crazy this year's NBA offseason has been so far, it still has nothing on the bombshell of Kevin Durant signing with Golden State last year. To nobody's surprise, Nike dropped the Warriors colorway to celebrate KD's move to the Bay Area Evil Empire.
LeBron's First Year on the Heat—Air Max Lebron 8 VIII Miami Heat
When Bron took his talents to South Beach in 2010, he wasn't just taking his talents. He was taking the LeBron James machine, which includes new kicks in new colorways for his new home. LeBron went to Miami for "not one, not two...," and although he never went on to win seven rings in South Beach, he had his share of memorable sneakers.
WINNER: LEBRON
FIRST ALL-STAR MVP
KD's First All-Star MVP Award—Zoom KD IV 4 OKC Away
With it's sharp angled midfoot strap and metallic appearance, this shoe gave off a futuristic style. The hard lines mixed with the smooth feel gave it a distinct and pleasant look. The KD IV stood out in the sneaker universe similar to how Durant shined amongst his peers that All-Star Game in 2012.
LeBron's First All-Star MVP—Zoom LeBron III
The "All-Star Red Laser" version of the Zoom LeBron III in 2006 is at the top of my "doing the most" list. The design was way too busy on what was a perfectly good model shoe. Even for a great player like LeBron, sometimes less is more. Luckily, we're showcasing the Midnight Navy version, which is much cleaner than its Houston-centric All-Star sibling.
WINNER: KD
FIRST NBA MVP AWARD
This is another example of a shoe from 2013-14 that translated well from hardwood to the block. The appealing colors plus the silhouette made it easy to wear with hooping shorts or a pair of jeans. That year, Durant showed just how versatile his game was on both ends of the floor. The real MVP.
Considering what a momentous occasion this was for James, this shoe from 2008-09 was too plain. This shoe should have represented James' official coming-out and owning the league, yet it missed the mark and underwhelmed. I still consider this shoe to be super smooth.
WINNER: KD
FIRST CHAMPIONSHIP
A shoe that embraces the minimalistic style that has become trendy among brands. The shoe hasn't been released yet, but based on Durant's dominant performance this year, it gets the job done well on the court. Style-wise, it can also double as a dope casual shoe.
This shoe is cleaner than the Board of Health and was highly slept on during its release from the 2011-12 season. After much hype and criticism, James solidified his place among NBA royalty in these kicks.
WINNER: KD
Any shoe that can go from the hardwood to chilling on the block is No. 1 in my book. Plus, the young boy straight-up cooked in these, shooting 70 percent in Game 5 of the 2017 NBA Finals.
Chad Jones, aka "Sneaker Galactus," is a sneaker collector from Brooklyn, New York, who has been featured in the Bata Shoe Museum and Out Of The Box: Rise Of Sneaker Culture. Follow him on Instagram at @sneaker_galactus
.png?w=480)
.png?w=480)
.jpg?w=600 "NFL star fakes injury at Savannah Bananas game")
.jpg?w=600 "NFL Stars Who Could Reset Market 💰")
