Becoming a Nike athlete with their own original line is a rare feat for even the most elite players of the sport. There’s a listless criteria one of which is being the best, for an extended number of years. At the status quo, there are only about 10 athletes with their own line; with the latest being Ja Morant and Jayson Tatum, and Devin Booker slated to debut his next year. For Kevin Durant, to have done it for 16 years, is exceptional. Second only to LeBron James with his 20th, and third to Michael Jordan himself.

Images of the Nike KD 16 emerged over the weekend with the shoe sitting atop cactus, thematic to the Valley dessert, synonymous with the Phoenix team Durant currently plays for.

The KD 16 bears a similar design to the KD 14, and it has a low-cut construction with a textured multi-layer mesh on the forefoot and heel and a synthetic mudguard that wraps around the entire model.

Although Nike hasn’t yet made all the technical details public, the TPU caging system on the forefoot, which blends into the split midsole, is an advance from the KD 15 and features breathability on both the medial and lateral sides as well. Zoom Air cushioning, KD branding on the tongue tabs, and a Swoosh on the lateral ankle are some additional noteworthy features.

A release date should arrive sometime in the summer. Find them on Nike then with an RRP of US$150. The Nike KD line has been one of the most prolific in terms of special releases, expect to see more of it moving forward.

In the music realm of the sneaker-sphere, find out more about the Pusha T x adidas Supernova Cushion 7 “THORN”.