Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant liked what he saw when Bucky Irving took the field in custom KD cleats. But the footwear also prompted Durant to question why Nike has yet to give football players a version of his signature shoes designed specifically for their sport.
“I’m tired of my dogs having to customize the classics,” Durant wrote on his Instagram story. “WAKE UP.”
Nice Kicks shared screenshots of Durant’s posts, which show him responding to Irving’s customized KD 4s before describing a restriction from his longtime footwear partner. Durant has a lifetime Nike agreement and 19 signature basketball models, but he said the company turned down his request to make cleats.
His complaint centered on bringing those designs to football through Nike itself. Irving’s custom pair already showed how players have adapted the KD line for the field.
Bucky Irving’s custom KD 4s draw Durant’s attention
Durant opened his response with praise for Irving, tagging the football player alongside a direct appeal to Nike.
“Hard @bucky2x. Yo @nike can yall make me some cleats?” he wrote, before expressing frustration about players needing to customize his existing designs.
The screenshot features Irving wearing a pair that translates the KD 4’s appearance into football footwear. Durant’s message acknowledged that effort while asking the brand to take the next step.
Irving has company among football players who have worn customized KDs. Stefon Diggs and Rashod Bateman have also used custom versions of Durant’s shoes over the years.
Diggs appeared in Durant’s other post, which paired an image of the football player carrying footwear with a more pointed statement about Nike.
“Nike told their lifetime athlete that I’m not allowed to make cleats,” Durant wrote.
That post moved the discussion beyond a request for a new product. Durant publicly described Nike refusing permission, invoking his lifetime status as part of the criticism.
The distinction matters to his complaint: football players already wear adaptations of his basketball designs, while Durant wants Nike to produce versions specifically intended for football. His posts praised the custom work and challenged the company over that separate request.
Durant’s lifetime Nike deal adds context to his criticism
Durant’s relationship with Nike stretches back to his NBA arrival. The company introduced his signature collection during his second season, and the two sides formalized a lifetime agreement in April 2023.
At the time, Durant described a partnership that reached beyond footwear, SI reports.
“When I first signed with Nike, I couldn’t have dreamed of how far we’d go in this partnership,” Durant said. “We’ve done amazing work creatively and philanthropically.”
He also emphasized the agreement’s long-term significance.
“We’ve traveled the world together and built a business that will now last forever. I’m excited for the future and honored to be in rare company with this deal.”
Nike has already produced football cleats tied to Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Kobe Bryant. That history provides context for Durant’s request to extend his own designs into the sport.
His latest posts offer a considerably different tone from the celebration surrounding his lifetime agreement. Durant welcomed Irving’s custom KDs, then used that moment to make his dissatisfaction with Nike explicit.
Kevin Durant gets vocal with Nike after Bucky Irving wears custom KDs