Kevin Durant Pays Homage to His Mother With Nike KD 4 'You the Real MVP'

For sneakerheads who were fans in the 2010s, 2024 has been a great year. Arguably one of the best models from this era, the , has returned in several grail-level colourways. Archival pairs such as the ‘’, ‘’, and even the ‘’ returned to the shelves, and it was their unique storytelling that made the 2010s at Nike Basketball so memorable. Now, over a decade later, the stories aren’t stopping as images surfaced of a never-before-seen KD 4 colourway that pays homage to Kevin Durant's mother.

The iteration is called ‘You the Real MVP’, which harks back to KD’s MVP award acceptance speech where he honoured his mother’s support, sacrifice, and love throughout his basketball journey. He ended the speech by dubbing her the real MVP. To celebrate this legacy, the pair features a vibrant blue and white colour palette that is highlighted by gold accents. It also utilises special modifications not present on any other KD 4, including raised toe boxes that are in basketball net-esque texture and a 3D gold basketball on the tongue. The insoles also bear KD’s shooting form silhouette and the inscription ‘You the Real MVP’.

Nike’s handling of the KD 4 release has come under criticism by some as it does not feature performance updates like the Kobe Protros. However, for a model steeped in nostalgia, leaving it untouched reminds fondly of times gone by. While details regarding this shoe’s release have not been made available yet, signs point to an early 2025 drop date. Stay right here for the latest.