The Nike KD 14 was released in 2021. The 14 has a mid-top design and offered a snug fit. Learn more about the 14 below.
14
The 14 features a combination of lightweight materials. Zoom Air cushioning was present for a responsive performance. The 14 brought back a strap on the upper, something that was a part of the line earlier in its run. There was a full length Zoom Strobel underfoot combined with a cushioned midsole. As always, Kevin Durant inspired many of the colorways and storytelling being the KD 14. Durant has an incredible season in 2021. The 14 was on his feet during his remarkable 2021-2022 campaign.
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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