Kevin Durant Signs Lifetime Endorsement Deal With Nike
Kevin Durant and Nike have come together for a lifetime endorsement contract, making Durant just the third NBA player to receive a deal of this size; Michael Jordan and LeBron James are the other two players with deals.
The Phoenix Suns’ 13-time All-Star player has had an ongoing relationship with Nike since around 2007; the two have released 15 different sets of shoes with a 16th set on the way.
“When I first signed with Nike, I couldn’t have dreamed of how far we’d go in this partnership,” Durant said in a statement.
“We’ve done amazing work creatively and philanthropically. We’ve traveled the world together and built a business that will now last forever. I’m excited for the future and honored to be in rare company with this deal.”
According to both parties, the lifetime deal will include apparel such as shoes, along with other “community and philanthropic collaboration focused on grassroots basketball.”
According to Durant, “It means a lot man, it’s a dream come true. It’s something that I’ve been working towards since I was a kid and having a partnership with Nike. To be in that company is a blessing. Looking forward to what we can do in the future.”
Durant’s time in the NBA has been multifaceted, playing for Seattle, to Oklahoma City, to Golden State, to Brooklyn, and now to Phoenix. As a 19-year-old entering into the NBA in 2007, Durant claims he always knew he would find success thanks to his hard work and dedication.
“I did think that if I stay focused and stay locked in to what I know I can do, I could do some big things and I can have a huge partner like Nike,” Durant said.
“It’s just a matter of staying focused and having that endurance to keep getting up and doing this every day. So yeah, I had confidence that I could do so. But I had to put in a lot of work to get here.”
Durant joined the Phoenix Suns in a midseason trade with the Brooklyn Nets.
John Slusher, the Nike executive vice president of global marketing, stated that “as one of the best basketball players in the world, Kevin Durant has been an important part of the Nike family for the past 16 years.”
“We look forward to continuing to serve the next generation of athletes together,” Slusher concluded.
Eric Mastrota is a Contributing Editor at The National Digest based in New York. A graduate of SUNY New Paltz, he reports on world news, culture, and lifestyle. You can reach him at eric.mastrota@thenationaldigest.com.
