Thunder F Kevin Durant’s Nike KD shoe line is priced at $88, and it “has become one of the most popular on the market,” according to Tariq Lee of the DAILY OKLAHOMAN. The shoes are cheaper than those of Lakers G Kobe Bryant and Heat F LeBron James, which are priced around $150, and Durant said, "I put them at $88 and a lot of people have been buying them and that’s what it’s been like for the last couple years.” He added of buying shoes when he was growing up, “If they were $125 I wasn’t getting them, but $88, that’s reasonable." Lee notes the fourth edition of the KD line could come out later this year, though Durant "wouldn’t give away any secrets on the shoe.” He did say that it would feature Nike’s "Zoom Air cushioning, an adjustable midfoot lockdown strap and a Thunderbolt traction pattern." It will "remain a low top.” Durant indicated he had to choose whether to sign with Nike or adidas coming out of the Univ. of Texas. Durant: "I always wanted to be a part of (the Nike) family but I had to take a look at adidas as well because they had some good stuff for me. But I thought Nike was a better company for keeping my feet intact and having the brand. I wasn't really big on brands, but I wanted something people would like" (DAILY OKLAHOMAN, 7/1).
IF THE SHOE FITS....: Knicks F Amar'e Stoudemire on June 26 wrote on his Twitter account, "My shoe deal is about up. I wonder who I should sign with. Nike, Reebok, Adidas, Under Armor, or build a company up into a power shoe company.” ESPN N.Y.'s Jared Zwerling noted Stoudemire's six-year extension with Nike that he signed in '05 is expiring and "don't be surprised if he looks to catapult a growing brand, such as Reebok." A source said that if Stoudemire is not “guaranteed a signature line from Nike, he’ll look heavily into Reebok because they’re up-and-coming and don’t have a main big-man endorser.” The “dark horse in the bidding for Stoudemire could be Beijing-based footwear and apparel company Li Ning” (ESPNNY.com, 6/30).
