The Nike KD 16 was released in 2023. It was designed by Ben Nethongkome. Learn more about the KD 16 below.
16
As always, when it comes to the Kevin Durant x Nike line, style and performance are blended for the 16. The shoes offer a sleek design and advanced technology. There is responsive cushioning and support from Zoom Air. The upper is lightweight and breathable. The outsole is made for traction and stability. As always, the KD 16 is focused on the needs of KD and his full court game. The KD 16 can take any baller’s game to the next level.
The Knight & Bowerman Team
Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight both had an interest in approving the footwear that was available for athletes. In the early 1970s, Bowerman developed the waffle outsole. The waffle outsole was an experiment by Bowerman that had him pouring rubber compound into his wife’s waffle iron. The duo wanted to offer athletic shoes with more traction and that were lighter. The waffle soles and the great marketing of Nike helped to establish them as a leading athletic shoemaker very quickly.
MJ
Michael Jordan signed an endorsement contract with Nike for $2.5 million his rookie year. That looks like clearance aisle pricing today, but at the time many felt MJ, an unproven newcomer, did not deserve a contract that large. The Air Jordan 1 was designed by Peter Moore and was released in 1985. Nike was dedicated to giving Michael Jordan his own brand to grow with. Nike’s belief in MJ as an athlete and pitchman paid off bigger and better than anyone could have ever imagined. Michael Jordan and his Air Jordan sneakers helped to make Nike a household name and gave them the ability to create Jordan Brand.
To The Court
The signing of Michael Jordan by Nike was a gamechanger. It turned Nike into a dominant force in the basketball world. The marketing and highlighting of MJ’s game, and his persona, are legendary. The innovation put into every Air Jordan shoe, along with the trailblazing designs, made Air Jordan sneakers the crown jewel of Nike’s arsenal.
- Adam C. Better
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