Thursday Bolts – 9.4.14
Anthony Slater on this guy that likes his KDs: “Two days later, McCord got a call. Surprise: he had been selected. His prize? McCord had earned the right to purchase a pair of shoes at retail price. On the surface, doesn’t sound like much of a reward. But these were the KD VI Preheats, the first colorway release of Kevin Durant’s latest Nike shoe. McCord returned to the store and, for $130, bought a pair of flashy neon green and black-and-white striped shoes that he has never worn. But he doesn’t regret the purchase. Just the opposite. It’s one of his favorites in a collection that’s now 25 deep. McCord owns every available colorway (or color scheme) of the KD VI line.”
Business Week on KD’s shoe deal: “For Nike, there’s a separate part of the equation that’s hard to put a value on. If it didn’t re-sign Durant, Under Armour (UA) probably would. The burgeoning Baltimore-based apparel brand is trying to sharpen its shoe game and offered Durant a huge package, slightly larger than Nike’s winning bid. There are a lot of stars Nike wouldn’t mind missing out on. Stephen Curry, for example, is an exciting player that has probably been a great investment for Under Armour’s marketing team. He is not, however, the best in basketball at the moment. That title belongs to Durant or fellow Nike star LeBron James. If Durant had gone to Under Armour, a huge swath of customers would at least consider its shoes for the first time. So Nike may lose some money by keeping Durant—but might have lost even more if it had let him go to its scrappy new competitor.”
Kevin Durant tweets: “Congrats to the bro @russwest44 and his beautiful fiancé Nina! So happy for you guys”
Tom Haberstroh of ESPN Insider on Anthony Davis: “It all hinges on Davis’ continued development. He has to refine the intricacies of being an NBA big man, especially in the pick-and-roll game, but there are signs in the early FIBA play that he’s made progress in that area. His angles and timing have improved to the point where it seems he can be at two places at once. That’s how he can pile up five blocks and three steals in less than two quarters of action. If you’ve watched the early FIBA play, Davis is visibly stronger, too. Word from the Pelicans is that he’s added about 15 pounds of muscle (the NBA standard) and his shoulders are noticeably thicker these days as he packs on the weight. Seemingly every other Davis basket in FIBA action has been an and-one opportunity where opponents have no choice but to foul him. That might not have happened two years ago when he looked like a puppy finding his way.”
Mildly interesting: KD’s signed a deal with Orange Leaf that’s equity-based, meaning in exchange for promoting the brand, he owns a stake in the company.
