Kevin Durant has been with Nike since 2007, and the partnership has grown into one of the most consistent signature shoe runs in basketball. From his early models to the latest KD 18s, the line has blended performance and style in a way that resonates with hoopers. Nearly two decades in, the future Hall of Famer’s brand continues to grow, with new players set to join the fold.
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Durant’s steady run showed younger ballers that they can create a long-term lane that doesn’t force product down the consumer’s throat. That blueprint has influenced other players with major Nike contracts and showed that consistency only drives more buyers to their Player Exclusive products.
Well, that market is only going up. The Rockets superstar spoke about his brand during a recent chat with Boardroom, and how he’s excited about the new ideas they are implementing into college to get players their own signatures sooner rather than later. One question was whether Durant would start signing players to be under his KD brand.
“I think we’re kind of teasing that now with stuff we’re doing with Texas, NIL. Doing this in the NBA too. Chet Holmgren, Pascal Siakam. They’re not signed underneath the KD brand, but they have their own colorways, and they they’ve been creating their own PEs for the last couple of years,” he responded.
People recognize Durant for his incredible scoring ability on the hardwood, often forgetting that he has been just as sharp in growing his business ventures off the court. After all, he is worth around $600 million. It is encouraging to see that he has a strategic plan in place for life after basketball, something he alludes to later in the same interview.
“So, we’ve been teasing it a little bit. I mean, as I continue to build my brand and growing the league and Nike sees the impact that we’re making, then yeah, I think we’ll be able to sign guys and build out a bigger imprint once I’m done playing.”
Kevin Durant talking about signing players to his KD brand
“I think we’re kind of teasing that now with stuff we’re doing with Texas, NIL. Doing this in the NBA, Chet Holmgren, Pascal Siakam. They’re not signed underneath the KD brand, but they have their own colorways and they… https://t.co/WlpPhaXkrI pic.twitter.com/0SVXek6KvZ
— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) February 21, 2026
What makes this next phase interesting is that Durant is not just thinking about selling more sneakers, he is thinking about infrastructure. If he eventually builds a true KD imprint under Nike, that shifts him from signature athlete to power broker. It becomes a move about shaping opportunity for the next wave rather than simply benefiting from it.
With NIL reshaping the college landscape and younger players building followings before they even reach the league, the timing feels right. If he pulls it off, KD will not just retire as an all-time scorer, but as a blueprint for how to turn a sneaker deal into a lasting empire.
