10 Nike Sneakers We Bet Kevin Durant Wished Were Cleats

Kevin Durant is not happy, and he let the world know about it through social media. That in itself is not breaking news, but when KD is venting about Nike, that’s when our collective ears at the Sole Retriever offices perk up. His frustration appears to be from seeing his iconic sneakers pop up on any given Sunday, but not because he’s opposed to the idea. Actually, KD wants more players like Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving wearing the classics (according to Durant), but he wants Nike to provide the players with cleated versions instead of seeing customs.

Durant would elaborate on his initial post with some more context. Despite being signed to a lifetime deal with Nike, he is saying that the brand has no plans to expand the scope of his line. The stories were subsequently deleted before they could expire, but the word is out: Kevin Durant wants KD cleats, but Nike doesn’t want KD cleats. Unless this is some sort of meta marketing campaign by Nike and they already have cleats ready to go.

It’s a very interesting situation for someone like Durant who does have a lifetime deal with Nike. For the past several years, Nike has been bringing their iconic basketball shoes to the gridiron. From Air Jordans to Zoom Generations to Foamposites to even Kobes, football players of all levels have either been able to buy cleated versions of other people’s classics or been gifted exclusives. Schools like The Ohio State University and Florida A&M University are examples of schools that have gotten cleats based on LeBron models that have yet to drop in stores. Jordan Brand schools get cleated Air Jordans all the time. Nike even made a commercial for the Kobe 6 Grinch cleats that went viral a few years ago. But when it comes to KD, it’s crickets. And he’s not happy about it.

As fans of Kevin Durant’s signature line, the KD 4 is not the only model that could translate well onto the football field. It probably won’t help his mood to see other kicks turn into cleats without Nike’s backing, but there are also other classic Nikes and Jordans he has worn that have yet to get the official treatment.

Nike KD 4

Considering this was the pair that led to KD’s social media posts, this should be the hypothetical first pair from KD’s line that gets the honor of being converted to a cleat. NFL players who grew up during the early 2010s more than likely either wanted a pair of the KD 4s or owned several in their collection. Any of the biggest colorways like the Galaxy or the Weatherman or something more specific to a particular team would make for great cleats.

Nike KD 6

With the recent return of the KD 6s in retro form, people are once again being reacquainted with the popularity of this model during its first run. The slender shape of the KD 6 translates to the cleats almost seamlessly not only on the football field but on the soccer pitch as well. The recent Paris Saint-Germain Nike KD 6 collaboration unlocked a new elevated form for the silhouette as not only a casual sneaker but one that could work for the beautiful game.

Nike KD 7

While we haven’t seen the Hyperposite-infused Nike KD 7 turned into football cleats with the same frequency as the KDs 4 and 6, the KD 7 has been spotted on the baseball diamond. New York Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton wore the Nike KD 7 Elite back in 2019, years after the sneaker was already out. Sneakerheads are probably wondering what led to that decision, considering the Nike KD 7 Elite is such a deep cut compared to his more popular silhouettes.

Nike KD 18

The Nike KD 17 felt like a reset for Kevin Durant’s signature as it turned to the past for inspiration in the design and in the colorways. The KD 18 continued that trend with a look that took cues from the Nike Air Terra Humara. The retro-centric look has turned a lot of heads in the past few years, and that includes NFL players as they got to work in bringing the KD 18 on the field. While an official pair by Nike would need to be significantly reworked to properly fit before it could touch the field, the customs that are out there are proof positive that there is interest in the community.

Nike KD 19

While we haven’t actually seen anybody turn their pairs of the Nike KD 19 into cleats yet, it feels like it’s only a matter of time before we see somebody turn these candy-themed kicks into blurs of color as wideouts and corners turn on the jets while wearing them. There’s also the Drake connection, as the potential for one of Nike’s young stars would love the opportunity to star in another “Yes Man” spot with both KD and Drake.

University of Texas KD Cleats

Durant might be disappointed that Nike won’t turn his basketball shoes into cleats anytime soon; there have been instances in the past where his branding has made it onto the gridiron in the form of player-exclusive cleats. During the 2019 Alamo Bowl against Utah, the Longhorns players were treated to Nike KD 4 Christmas-inspired cleats complete with his logo. It’s a big honor and one that we’re sure KD already cherishes, but it’s understandable why KD would want bigger and better now, especially when his peers are ahead in the cleat game.

Nike KD 11 Texas Cleats (?)

According to a blog that covers University of Texas sneakers, Kevin Durant posted the above Photoshop of KD 11 cleats on his Instagram stories back in 2018. Looks like KD has been wishcasting for his signature shoes to become cleats for a long time, and Nike has been hesitant to make it happen for reasons unknown. Turns out his posts this week were not a spur-of-the-moment situation and maybe something that’s been bubbling for a while now.

Travis Scott x Nike SB Dunk Low

Kevin Durant makes no secret of his love for Travis Scott’s many collaborations with Nike and Jordan Brand. Nobody tell him that Travis got official Nike cleats before him, though, even if they are soccer boots. When Scott’s SB Dunk Lows were the hottest sneaker in the game a few years back, Durant made them a regular part of his rotation, which was a nice change of pace from the usual athlete modus operandi of never being seen in the same sneaker twice. In this very specific instance, we could honestly say that KD is just like us. If Nike is insistent on not giving Durant his own cleats, settling for Travis’ Dunks in cleat form would be the next best thing.

Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 Low

One sneaker that KD will never be tired of is the Air Jordan 1 Low. His love for the sneaker goes back to even before Travis Scott made them the favorite of the younger generations. No matter where the Swoosh is pointing, the Air Jordan 1 Low is frequently seen in football now thanks to Nike making them available in cleated form for the past several years. They have also created special player exclusives for stars like Odell Beckham Jr. that are inspired by Travis’ Jordan 1s.

Converse Chuck Taylor All-Stars

Chucks were spotted on KD during the early days of tunnel walks, becoming a source for content and a way for the players to show off their style. Obviously, no issues there, as Nike owns Converse (for now), but Durant should be pleased to know that Chucks have made it into the NFL, even if they are in the form of customizers painting the design onto the cleats instead of using the actual loose-fitting canvas upper.

Juan Martinez

From video game journalism to veteran of the sneaker blog era to podcasting about well, everything, Juan is smiling through it all and can't believe this is his life. His current hot take is that people are really underrating the Psyduck trading card market. Email: juan@soleretriever.com Instagram | Twitter | Bluesky | Threads : @ezyville