Kevin Durant’s signature line with Nike is often overlooked when it’s being compared with the likes of LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, but now that it’s 19 models deep, it’s proven that it can hold its own.
In 2008, Durant received his first signature model with the Swoosh, the KD1, which was significantly cheaper than the other Nike signature basketball models at the time, costing only $88. The lower-cost releases would continue for several of the subsequent models, including what many consider the best KD model in the KD4. Now that Nike is getting ready to release the KD19 this summer, the line still hasn’t strayed too far from that formula, and is priced at $155.
It’s important to mention that the designs and their impact on basketball culture were the main factors in how we determined the rankings, meaning this would’ve looked like an entirely different list if we focused solely on performance.
Prior to the KD19’s release, we’re taking a look back at the history of the line. Here’s our list of every Nike Kevin Durant signature sneaker, ranked.
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Release Date: 2018
I can‘t remember the last time I saw someone wear these. I had to Google the shoe to remember what it looks like. And I do have to admit, I haven’t paid a lot of attention to Durant’s line really after the KD7. But the KD11 brings me back to the era of Nike where they just threw Flyknit on everything and hoped that it would have some sort of crossover effect. He actually had Flyknit on all of his shoes from 9-12. But these are the worst of the bunch. —Matt Welty
Release Date: 2015
The Nike KD8 isn’t one of our favorite Kevin Durant signature sneakers, as evidenced by its position near the bottom of this ranking. It’s not that there’s anything that bad about the shoe—it’s fairly representative of what Nike Basketball was doing at the time with its woven upper, visible Flywire support system, and full-length Zoom Air. But it’s just impossible to unsee Durant warming up the the knee-high Elite variation during the 2016 playoffs, which were widely mocked for making the former MVP look like Big Bird. —Zac Dubasik
Release Date: 2020
The KD13 isn’t a bad shoe, it’s just not memorable. It looks like an NPC of a shoe. The upper is plain, except for the honking Sunset Swoosh that dips below the midsole break. I’m not a fan of that design language. These shoes look like bricks—like the sneaker version of an oven mitt. The colorway with the gold chain-printed upper and marbled effect midsole—please don’t do that again. —Matt Welty
Release Date: 2023
OK—now we’re at the part of the list, with the KD16, where sneakers are starting to get decent. It took a minute, but we got there. There are pairs of these that look like a Penny 2. I like that reference. The Aunt Pearl pair looks good, too. And the plastic piece on the side kind of works. —Matt Welty
Release Date: 2022
The Nike KD15 had a lot of potential in my opinion. I wanted that shoe to be great. On paper, it had everything: strong performance and expressive colorways that brought back that 2010s Nike Basketball energy. Honestly, it may have fallen short because it reflected where he was in his career at the time. Kevin Durant was in Brooklyn, and that whole situation felt similar. It looked great on paper, but didn’t fully come together the way people expected. It’s still a great shoe though, just overlooked. —Douglas Jase
Release Date: 2017
When Nike released the KD10 in 2017, it marked a significant moment for Kevin Durant. Not only did he become one of the few athletes to reach the 10-shoe mark, but it was also his first model as an NBA champion. The Leo Chang-designed sneaker features a simple design, including a sock-like Flyknit upper and Zoom Air cushioning in the midsole. —Victor Deng
Release Date: 2021
The KD14 released in 2021 and featured one very notable design element that had been absent on Durant’s signature sneaker since the KD7, which was the midfoot strap on the upper. The sneaker also had a few memorable colorways, like the “Ky-D” pair that paid homage to KD’s bond with former Nike signature athlete Kyrie Irving. —Victor Deng
Release Date: 2016
I have to admit, the KD9 was one of the models I had to go back and look up just to remember what that sneaker looked like. Around this point in his signature line, the designs of the sneakers began to blend in with one another, and the KD 9 felt like the start of that. It had a mid-cut Flyknit upper and a cage-like lace loop system, with a Zoom Air-cushioned midsole underneath. —Victor Deng
Release Date: 2012
The KD5 might be the biggest let down in the KD series, if we’re being honest. I think we all know the 4 is his best sneaker—didn’t need to get to the end of the list for that spoiler. But the 5? Not even close. The sneakers aren’t even remotely close in design. It looks like a revert rather than progression. KD’s line started off as a budget-friendly shoes–brands often do this with new stars to help them find a niche in the market. And the 5 is just sort of a generic high-top. The All-Star color is decent, the Christmas pair, seen above, could cause seizures and might make my eyes bleed if I look long enough. The low-top Elite pairs are a saving grace. —Matt Welty
Release Date: 2024
The KD17 generated a decent amount of buzz online before it ever made it to retail, thanks to early leaks surfacing about it taking design inspiration from the Air Max Plus. When they did eventually launch in 2024, it felt like there was still a decent amount of interest from hoopers on it. The KD17 is definitely a middle-of-the-pack sneaker and a solid entry in the KD line. —Victor Deng
Release Date: 2026
KD found himself in a very exclusive group this year when he became one of a few athletes with 19 signature sneakers. At the time of writing, the KD19 has yet to release to the public, but visually it’s one of the better-looking models in the lineage. The sneaker features a sleek design, including the TPU “dagger” detail across the sides of the upper and an outsole pattern that incorporates both his “7” and “35” jersey numbers. We definitely still need to see more colorways of the shoe but it appears to be a solid continuation for the KD line. —Victor Deng
Release Date: 2025
Without a doubt, the Nike KD18 is the best modern entrant in Kevin Durant’s signature line. Similar to how its predecessor was inspired by the Air Max Plus, Ross Klein took cues from the cult classic Air Terra Humara trail shoe from 1997 to inform the design of the 18. The unique upper construction allowed for a bevy of intriguing colorway options including collabs with OKC’s Chet Holmgren, a shimmering blue pair inspired by the Royal Blue Foamposites, and a purple and cheetah print rendition. But unquestionably the best pair was the “Slim Reaper” colorway for Halloween that turned the whole shoe into a skeleton hand with glow-in-the-dark outsoles. If you ask me, not only was this the best KD18, but it was one of the best individual KD colorways in general. —Ben Felderstein
Release Date: 2008
The earliest days of Kevin Durant’s NBA career are a bit complicated. Despite going on to become an all-time great, he wasn’t even the top name in the 2007 NBA Draft—that distinction went to Ohio State big man Greg Oden. And then there was his relocation, where after just one season in Seattle the franchise moved to Oklahoma City. All of that is to say that while he was certainly hyped as a player, the launch of his sneaker line went somewhat under the radar when it was introduced in late-2008 as Nike’s most affordable signature option. At under $90, it wasn’t flashy or packed with the latest visual tech, but Nike Basketball put the money towards tried and true concepts that made for a performance bargain. The KD1 might not have the prestige of an Air Jordan 1 or even Adidas AE 1, but it laid the foundation for what’s become one of the most successful and longest-running signature lines in sneaker history. —Zac Dubasik
Release Date: 2019
At first glance, it’s easy to overlook what makes the KD12 such a strong entry into Kevin Durant’s signature line. The relatively simple design needs to be handled and worn to truly appreciate. What looks like a basic upper is actually multiple layers with different opacities that subtly display its multi-directional Flywire support system and interior padding. Then there is the cushioning system that doubled down on the Zoom with a full-length articulated unit stitched into the bottom of the upper with an additional heel unit below. The whole package was exceptionally comfortable and required zero break in. The shoe loses points for being part of Durant’s underwhelming run in Brooklyn, and not having many notable on-court moments, but is among the best performers in the line’s history. —Zac Dubasik
Release Date: 2014
Following the success of the Nike KD6, the KD7 felt like a strong continuation with a more advanced silhouette. It may not have had the same motion as the KD6, but performance-wise it helped set the tone for the future of the KD line. The addition of dynamic Flywire on the upper provided more support that worked especially well for quick guards. And I still remember people also wearing them with khakis and jeans at the time. We’ve seen the KD6 make its return, and a comeback for the KD7 wouldn’t be a bad move either. That “Aunt Pearl” pair with the strap and angel wing detail was a work of art. Leo Chang really got in his bag with this one. —Douglas Jase
Release Date: 2010
Durant’s signature line may not have reached its fever pitch until the following year, but the KD3 kept the positive momentum going after a solid sequel in 2009. Still priced below $90, the affordable performance model featured some of the bells and whistles of its more expensive counterparts like Flywire technology (a first for the KD series) and Zoom cushioning. This was also the first installment of Durant’s line where we were blessed with memorable color-ups throughout the season. Highlights included a lemon yellow “Christmas” pair and red “All-Star” colorway.
The KD3 was the sneaker Durant played in to lock up the first scoring title of his career, but his greatest accolade in the model actually came away from the NBA hardwood. For an exhibition game at New York City’s legendary Rucker Park, KD laced up a burgundy and yellow KD3 inspired by his hometown NFL franchise from the DMV. He dropped 66. Kids, do your homework. —Mike DeStefano
Release Date: 2009
It wasn’t the first, but the Nike KD2 felt like the true arrival of Kevin Durant’s signature line. The design was largely just an evolution of the first model, reusing the tooling and adding a lower-cut upper and a midfoot strap—which is to say, it’s not terribly exciting. But like the first, it was priced below $90 and a performance bargain. Simple but effective tech like a forefoot Zoom bag and targeted areas of a herringbone outsole combined with the design tweaks from the original aided mobility while making it more stable. Aside from its performance merits, the Nike KD2 had one of Durant’s most memorable on-court sneaker moments. In an all-time gesture of NBA sneaker camaraderie, nearly the entire Thunder team laced up the all-orange “Creamsicle” colorway of the KD2 for the December 16, 2009 game against the Dallas Mavericks. One notable holdout, Serge Ibaka, who was signed to Adidas, even wore an all-orange pair of the Adidas Mad Clima. The moment still holds up even today, which propels the model to the upper echelon of Durant’s signature line. —Zac Dubasik
Release Date: 2013
The Nike KD6 added real value to basketball culture beyond just performance. Some thought it played solid, others complained about the creasing, but either way it was widely loved. Inspired by a football boot and a timepiece, the design reflected Kevin Durant’s game: precise and calculated, but still quick. This came right before his peak, when MVPs and championships felt inevitable. The real debate is which colorway is the best. Colorways included the “PB&J,” “Gumbo League,” “Bamboo,” and the “MVP 66” inspired by his 66-point Rucker Park. Each one told its own story. Now it feels like the Nike Ja 3 carries that same energy—a byproduct of the KD6 era: fun, expressive, and another notch in the sneaker timeline. —Douglas Jase
Release Date: 2011
When we were making this list it kind of dawned on the whole team that while Kevin Durant has one of the longest running signature sneaker lines in history, it’s a fairly underwhelming one. When you think of the pantheon of Nike basketball footwear, you’re not going to do too much thinking about Durant. Except for the KD4. Without question, the best entrant of all 19 sneakers the future Hall of Famer has had, the 4 brought us all-time Nike hoops classics like the “Nerf,” the “Galaxy,” the “Weatherman,” and a handful of other classics. Leo Chang and Nike were still able to keep the original run of the legendary silhouette under $100 even though it featured the return of a midfoot strap while introducing a new Adaptive Fit system, Hyperfuse construction, and maintaining Zoom Air. The KD4’s retro return was a bit underwhelming, but that doesn’t take away from the noise it made in the middle of Durant’s three-straight scoring titles for the Thunder. —Ben Felderstein
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