KD 11: Perfect merger

NOW-TWO time National Basketball Association champion Kevin Durant of the Golden State Warriors recently had the latest iteration of his Nike shoe line — the KD 11 — released.
Touted as a “perfect merger” between a laid-back chill sneaker and performance basketball equipment, the KD 11 boasts of new features but still adheres to the specifications of the NBA superstar, who just helped the Warriors to their second straight NBA title while also being named the Finals most valuable player along the way.
Recognizing Mr. Durant’s preference for not tying his laces too tight, Nike designer Leo Chang knew he had to come up with new technologies to suit that.
This led Nike and Mr. Chang making the Flyknit in the shoe’s supper plusher, providing that “broken-in” feel and making it softer as compared to the one used in the KD 9 and 10.
“[Kevin] likes the feel of the Flyknit Trainer and the Nike Epic React. Last summer, he loved the Air Sock Racer — that is where the collar of the 11 came from, and all the lofting in the tongue and quarter followed,” said Mr. Chang in a release.
Completing the shoe underneath is a rubber cupsole that houses both of Nike’s signature cushioning in Nike React and Nike Zoom.
The former is used as a cushion between the player and the court while the latter sits right beneath the foot for that responsive feel.
“For the tooling, we’ve created a perfect balance of plush ride and bounce. This doesn’t always happen; it really needs two materials to make it work,” the Nike designer said.
The KD 11 is available for P7,645. The Paranoid (blue) was released on June 11 at Titan Fort and Titan22.com. Meanwhile, the Still KD (black/white) colorway is set to be released on July 1, and will be available at all Titan branches, the Athlete’s Foot Rockwell and Alabang Town Center, and Nike Park branches. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo