Sneaker News 
Tomorrow, Nike Basketball will officially unveil the Nike KD 7, thusly putting a close to an exceptionally rich chapter in the KD signature shoe novel. Since the KD 6’s debut roughly one year ago, sneaker fans were treated with a plethora of amazing colorways rooted in Durant’s personal life; it started with the lead-off “Seat Pleasant” colorway, which paid tribute to the local rec center where he fine-tuned his hooping skills, and it just closed out with an unexpected fragment design collaboration. In all, there were thirty different releases of the KD 6 (in base, Premium, EXT, and Elite form), but here at Sneaker News, we decided to chop the list down and rank the fifteen best of the bunch.
In this list of the 15 Best Nike KD 6 Releases is a collection of the best colorways of this amazing shoe; many are obvious choices, but there’s a story beneath the colors and prints that compelled us to select each pair with purpose. How did we come about this list? Each Sneaker News staff member created his own list of KD 6s, and with the power of some basic math and statistics, we’ve arrived a certified (by Sneaker News) list of the best KD 6s of the year. Enjoy our compilation below, and stay tuned to Sneaker News for all the best updates and information on the KD 7, which will officially debut tomorrow at noon.
15. Bamboo
Kevin Durant went global last summer, spending time out in Asia as part of the 2013 Nike Basketball tour. The beginning of that trip had the OKC star in Shanghai launching a special edition of the Nike KD 6 “Bamboo”. The sneakers would eventually make their way to the states a couple of months later, with their slow arrival helping to build the anticipation.
Of course when they did hit here they were lacking that unique bamboo box that really drove home the theme of China’s traditional “Six Arts”, but they were celebrated nonetheless. The Nike KD 6 Bamboo was also notable for being one of the first pairs to fiddle with the logo on the outsole – this time it featured an amalgamation of the Chinese character for “bamboo” and Durant’s own initials.
14. NY 66
On a hot Summer night in New York City’s hallowed proving grounds called Rucker Park, Kevin Durant showed the world of streetball that he could hoop in any setting. Durant, who got plenty of run in Washington DC’s Barry Farm outdoor hoops
circuit, put on a show for the Harlem crowd, netting 66 points while wearing a bright orange jersey. Nike revisited that performance with the NY66 colorway of the KD 6, which was one of the more popular releases early on in the shoe’s life cycle.
13. Black History Month
Nike kicks off every February with special edition colorways of their top signature models to commemorate Black History Month. There was something about this year’s theme with a chosen purple, luxurious metallic gold and black that made it stand out when compared to previous models of Durant’s BHM offerings.
The metallic gold accents hit the branding and a tribal print subtly appeared on the purple base while a cement speckled midsole finished things off. The attention to detail on this pair, like many of the printed editions of the KD 6, definitely helped catapult his sixth signature into fan favorite territory.
12. fragment design
The Nike KD 6 had a number of surprising releases right from the get go, but the collaboration with Hiroshi Fujiwara’s fragment design takes the cake as the most unexpected. The extending of the Elite line-up also took us by surprise, but what made these fragment design works so impressive was the usage of suede and
leather materials (unofficially making these another EXT style concept). Released exclusively at Nike Lab, you could choose from an all suede navy blue paired with a contrasting white leather Swoosh or a casual tan with vibrant volt accents.
11. Liger
LeBron has his Lion, Kobe has his Black Mamba, and KD has his… Liger? Nike went out on a limb with this one, but while the other signature Nike athletes had their spirit animals of choice, deciding on a specific creature to personify KD in shoe form wasn’t as easy (sorry, no tarantula print on this one). The light blue to green gradient covered in leopard print at the heel and
eventually fading into zebra stripes by the toe box turned heads right from the get go, while the playful amount of orange made this colorway hard to miss. Initially revealed as a part of Nike’s Inside Access features, this March release wrapped things up nicely for the base model of the KD 6 as newer EXT and Elite varieties started popping up. Will we see the Liger look continued next year?
10. Texas
When thinking about Texas-referencing pairs, it’s easy to fall in line with the burnt orange of Kevin’s alma-mater, but props to Nike for switching things up this year in a more than surprising twist. The “Texas” KD 6 was one of the standouts early on thanks to a black base getting a glow in the dark speckle treatment
while the medial side hit with an eye catching orange much brighter than the Longhorn’s actual jerseys. The green glow Swoosh and midsole showcased early on just how diverse the color blocking on this sneaker could be even at its most simplistic.
9. Meteorology
Kevin Durant’s signature Nike line is still picking and choosing which major themes it will hold onto year in and year out. His peers have already made their selections: LeBron can count in a Dunkman release every year and Kobe has had plenty of hits in the Chaos vein. Durant seems to have found his answer in the ongoing “Weatherman” story, which references a possible alternate career path for Kevin. Unlike others like the
“Aunt Pearl”, we’ve seen this theme actually grow from year to year. It started out with the “Weatherman” Zoom KD IV, took a year off for the 5, and then came back around on the 6 with this fiery “Meteorology” look that was an early NRG style hit for the sneakers. And let’s not forget that all signs forecast a furthering of the look for the upcoming Nike KD 7.
8. Gum EXT
Nike unveiled the KD NSW Lifestyle as an off-the-court look for fans of Durant’s sneakers. It’s safe to say that the eccentric double-tongued high-top may not have pleased all, but there was something in place to fill the void for those looking for a second option to wear the KD 6 exclusively as a casual sneaker. Nike officially welcomed the KD 6 to its popular Extension category
with this “gum” colorway, which made use of dark plum accents for almost a “Redskins” look – quite fitting considering the OKC star’s fandom of the DC-based NFL team. This gum-laden release was available at select retailers and unfortunately only one other release of this style followed, but it was still great to see the KD 6 get the EXT boost.
7. N7
Since debuting on the Nike KD 4, the yearly installment of the N7 edition has been something fans of the KD line have looked forward to. The tribute to Native American culture didn’t go unnoticed this year as Durant laced the pair up in a number of
games with a vibrant dark turquoise base. The real catch here was the subtle 3M graphic throughout the model while deep university red hues lingered on the Air Max unit and branding in a look that helped KD kick off his MVP season to remember in early November.
6. Seat Pleasant
The debut colorway of the KD sneaker did more than introduce a new design – it set the tone for the entire lifespan of the model and gave us extra insight into what Nike had planned for each new release. The combination of Yellow and Teal was certainly new to KD sneaker fans, but the color goes back to one of the most significant landmarks in the superstar’s past – the Seat Pleasant Rec Center located in the heart of PG County. It was at the establishment’s gym that Durant honed his game to be one of the best of the game, and the debut of the 6th sneaker, unquestionably the most successful KD sig shoe to date, paid tribute to the walls and roof that housed Durant for so many years.
In addition, the official launch of the KD 6 was a celebration unlike any other media event that the Sneaker News staff had experience. Nike brought a select group of media from around to globe to PG County in DC with the sole purpose of of offering a first-hand account of Durant’s childhood and family values, and we certainly achieved that thanks to the itinerary that was planned out. So while the Seat Pleasant colorway might not command the big bucks like some others easily do, this one’s got a lot of pride behind it and it has all to do with how a young kid became an MVP.
5. Floral EXT
Kevin Durant’s sneaker line was the last among the Big Three to get outfitted with the EXT look. Short for “Extension”, the EXT releases from Nike Basketball transfer their top of the line signature models into a more lifestyle realm with materials that are allowed to wander a bit beyond the bounds of their typical performance demands. For LeBron James, this has meant Cork and Denim entries. For Kobe Bryant we’ve seen suede and faux-snakeskin treatments. The Nike KD 6’s EXT releases have so far differentiated themselves from that already-established crop by further switching things up on the material end. First it was the Nike KD 6 EXT “Gum” with that waterproof, Timberland style, and then it was the Nike KD 6 EXT “Floral”.
Durant’s line has been tied up in the floral look for years now thanks to the “Aunt Pearl” pairs, but this floral style breaks away from those with a much more colorful palette. The sneakers feature a jacquard upper that went into full bloom just in time for Spring. The cheery, flowery shoe sort of plays up Durant’s nice guy image that’s been referenced by Nike Basketball plenty of times. Going back to that EXT build – the shoes also brought in metal eyelets and the double-tongue treatment that straightens out the top-down view of the shoe quite a bit. The Nike KD 6 EXT “Floral” managed to stand out in a year that’s so far been busy with botanic footwear, and helped open our eyes to what Kevin Durant’s Nike line is capable of in terms of these more off-court looks.
4. All-Star
All Star sneakers are always a big deal when it comes to Nike Basketball’s Big Three. Every time that weekend comes around, you can bet on Nike coming with a concentrated theme that spins a different strain of mythology into the latest Kobe, LeBron, and KD sneakers. For 2012 and 2013 those collections very much focused on the spacey angle of the All Star story: the 2012 went “Galaxy” and the 2013 centered on distant planets. For 2014 though, the interstellar options were ditched in favor of a focus on the local flavor of the New Orleans locale where the festivities took place.
Hence the 2014 Nike Basketball Gumbo League collection, which played off the cultural milestones of the Creole South.For Kevin
Durant this meant a Nike KD 6 All Star “Illusion” pair decorated with spectral graphics that channeled some of the strange voodoo traditions lurking in the swamps of Louisiana. They packed a heavy bit of glow in the dark along the bottom; mean as a metaphorical extension of Durant’s own spark that could be ignited at any moment. Never skimping on the extras, Nike Basketball even slid in a special playing card featuring the Durant/Illusion character to go with the unique packaging. The Nike KD 6 “All Star” stands as one of the more unique All Star entries from the brand in recent years and lands ahead of a good number of its KD 6 peers off the strength of the detailed graphics and premium packaging.
3. Aunt Pearl
Perhaps the finest tradition in the Nike KD chronicles is the honoring of Aunt Pearl. In 2012, Nike, at the behest of Kevin, released the first ever “Aunt Pearl” colorway of the star’s signature shoe as a tribute to his late aunt and since then, this personal project has been of paramount importance for the designers. Anchored by a stunningly rich pink tone, the KD “Aunt Pearl” releases have risen to fame quickly, but this year’s rendition was certainly the best yet.
Decorated in a lush floral graphic print and matched with royal blue accents, the KD 6 “Aunt Pearl” immediately caught the attention of inquiring minds who were eagerly anticipating this year’s Aunt Pearl tribute. Needless to say, this year’s release exceeded expectations and deservingly owns this high rank on our list of best KD 6 releases.
2. DC Pre-Heat
The Seat Pleasant colorway was officially the debut platform for the shoe, but Nike had something a but juicier in mind to give the sneaker that appetite-whetting spark. The official “Pre-Heat” offering of the brand new Nike KD 6 was this “DC”tribute, which combined an incredibly wild mix of colors with some amazing layered graphics that spoke to the design concept of the sneaker as well as Durant’s hometown roots.
Above the aerial map view of the DC area was a dazzling white zig-zag like print, which would eventually be revealed to be “Precision Timing”. The idea of having all the parts of the KD 6 exposed, like a high-end watch, is what drove the design, but Nike applied that thought into a unique visual that would later be revisited in another colorway. This outstanding Pre-Heat release was the most limited KD 6 release to date, and currently commands an astounding number akin to some of the greatest KD releases in history.
1. What The KD
There was a time when grabbing a pair of “What the KDs” was a nearly impossible task. The Nike Zoom KD IV that first brought the mash-up look to Kevin Durant’s line stayed in sample mode, and a retail release never manifested. Things got a little bit better the following year, as the Nike Zoom KD V “What The” did get a retail release – albeit an extremely limited one. This year’s entry solved that issue by making the shoes a bit more attainable with an even wider distribution. The result was putting what’s been the most coveted Nike KD 6 of them all into a lot more hands than usual.
The Nike What the KD 6 is a special shoe in that it allows the wearer to tour a serendipitous 35 different prints from the Nike KD 6 in one fell swoop. The shoes were unveiled by Nike themselves back on April 1st along with a disclaimer that they definitely were not part of some elaborate April Fools joke on behalf of the Swoosh. Release delays pushed them back just a little bit (Along with the coinciding LeBron 11 that’s yet to show up), but when the What the KD 6 finally did land, it immediately made its mark as the most neck-breaking and certainly the most talked-about of all the Nike KD 6 releases to date.
