Nike Basketball Unveils The KD V

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After much anticipation, Nike Basketball officially unveils the KD V. In the brand's words, Kevin Durant's fifth signature model is designed with premium materials and leading performance technologies to represent the evolution of Durant and his style of play.

At the helm once again was Footwear Design Director Leo Chang, who combined inspirational cues drawn from Durant's personal journey with symbolism from the number five and wrapped the elements up in a premium performance package.

“Championship drive takes an entire team, and the new KD V represents the roadmap I follow,” said Kevin Durant. “Leo did a great job on the shoe by combining the best technology with my journey and what the number five means to me.”

With an aesthetic likened to Durant's smooth, fluid style of play, the KD V integrates four leading Nike technologies: 1) a Nike Zoom unit in the forefoot, 2) Nike Air unit in the heel 3) unibody Hyperfuse upper construction for superior fit 4) external heel counter to allow the foot to move while still providing support.

The shoe’s hidden story comes from five players united on the court, five sides of a pentagon – a Washington D.C. landmark, five corners of a star, and Durant’s fifth Nike signature shoe. This story is illustrated through a unique outsole, midsole texture, tongue quilting and heel counter details.

Last week, Durant teased a colorway for D.C. on his Twitter account. The style in question is actually inspired by the Maryland state flag, represented by a Bright Crimson colorway with red, yellow and black accents to salute Durant's home state.

The KD V launches globally on NIKEiD on November 6, then is fully available beginning December 8 in both the Bright Crimson colorway and Black/Blue colorway.