Kevin Durant of the Phoenix Suns had big news on Friday and it had nothing to do with his team or his status for the Western Conference semifinals.
Durant and Nike announced they had agreed to a lifetime deal, meaning that he will be signed to the mammoth shoe company for the remainder of his career and well beyond.
According to The Boardroom, via ESPN, Durant joins the ranks of just Michael Jordan and LeBron James as the only other basketball athletes who have a lifetime deal with Nike.
Kevin Durant and Nike have agreed to a lifetime deal.
KD joins Michael Jordan and LeBron James as the only other basketball athletes with a lifetime deal.
(via @boardroom) pic.twitter.com/6Anb63CSeE
— ESPN (@espn) April 28, 2023
This is obviously a massive deal financially for Durant, who has been signed to the company since his rookie year.
However, it is another sign that Durant is a generational talent.
Nike has agreed to contracts with numerous NBA stars since their creation but only a very select few have received lifetime deals.
In terms of endorsement deals, this is considered the very best of the best.
It’s not a huge surprise that Nike would want to be in the Durant business as long as possible.
Since joining the league, he has become one of the top stars in the Association with his four scoring titles and two NBA championships.
At 34 years old, he is still scoring 29.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 5 assists a game and shooting a wild 56% from the field.
His status is one of the strongest in the league, well-respected by both players and fans.
Since joining Nike more than a decade ago, Durant has had a number of signature shoes released.
In the years ahead, even after he steps away from the NBA, you can expect to see plenty of footwear, apparel, and more coming from the company with Durant’s name on it.
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