The Ultimate Guide to Kevin Durant Texas Longhorns Sneakers

Few University of Texas alumni are more recognizable than Kevin Durant. As a winner of two NBA championships, a league MVP, and numerous other accolades, KD is known the world over as one of the greatest basketball players to ever do it. Although Kevin only attended UT for 2 semesters before going pro, the superstar continues to maintain a great relationship with his alma mater. This, along with KD’s status as one of Nike’s most prolific sponsored athletes, has resulted in an advantage that few college athletic programs can boast.

Given that Nike outfits both KD and the many athletic squads of the University of Texas, the production of cross-branded gear between the three parties always seemed like a given. Longhorn teams have been equipped with burnt orange KD branded backpacks, hoodies, and other gear for the better part of the past decade. But among all this, it is understandable that the Texas branded sneakers from Kevin Durant’s signature basketball shoe series have always been the most coveted items by both fans and players.

As the third longest running signature shoe line of all time, Durant’s sneaker pedigree is matched by few. Considering this storied history, it is remarkable to see that there has been a Texas Longhorns themed colorway for all twelve shoes in KD’s main signature series. While these kicks have ranged from general releases, limited drops, player exclusives, and even football cleats, the fact remains that UT colorways have always been a mainstay in Durant’s footwear. With the release of Kevin’s 13th signature shoe (and a presumed upcoming Texas KD13), now is as good a time as any to reflect on the history of Texas Longhorns KDs so far.

KD I (2009)

University of Texas colorways have been a staple of the KD line since it’s inception, appearing on Durant’s first signature sneaker. Released in February of 2009 for $88, the KD I “Texas” featured an all white upper paired with black and burnt orange accents. The medial side of the shoe differed, instead sporting a burnt orange to black gradient fade. While still technically labeled as a Longhorns colorway, the lack of Texas branding and minimal use of the school’s signature color made this first outing for UT KDs a more muted affair when compared to other entries in the line.

Thankfully, Nike saw fit to release a second Longhorns colorway of the KD I the following month (March 2009), just in time for the Big Dance. Also retailing for $88, this variant more included more apparent burnt orange accents, paired with a black upper and a white Nike Swoosh. While UT branding was still omitted, the heavier use of burnt orange made it more clear that this was a shoe dedicated KD’s former college basketball team, at least when compared to its predecessor.

KD II (2010)

While the KD I included two UT colorways in its lineup, the KD II was where the series truly took off. Sporting a solid balance of white and burnt orange with slight silver accents, the ‘Horns colorway of the KD II featured University of Texas branding for the first time in the history of Durant’s signature line. This came in the form of a font TEXAS inscribed on the tongue of the sneaker, a subtle but appreciated design element that helped this colorway of the KD II feel unique when compared to other UT sneakers of the era. Following the timing of the black colorway of the KD I, the KD II “Texas” released in March 2010 at select House of Hoops locations for $95.

Nike Zoom KD III (2011)

Nike looked to duplicate many of the design queues that made the UT KD II successful in the KD III “Texas”. Featuring the same assortment of colors as the II, the III traded out the font TEXAS on the tongue for a Longhorn logo placed on the medal side of the sneaker. The Texas Longhorns KD III also mimicked the release pattern of the KD I and KD II, dropping at House of Hoops locations across the country for $88 during March 2011.

Nike Zoom KD IV (2012)

Standards for the Longhorns colorway of the KD IVs were set high shortly into the model’s lifespan. While the UT Men’s Basketball Team wore the “Nerf” colorway of the the Zoom KD IVs early in the 2011-12 basketball season, the burnt orange faithful wouldn’t get a look at the Texas edition of the model until the start of conference play. Fortunately for fans, Nike knocked it out of the park with this iteration, opting for a no-nonsense burnt orange upper complimented by white accents. The Longhorn logo was embellished on the tongue, capping off a shoe that cemented what a University of Texas sneaker should be. The KD IV “Texas” was also the first UT KD to receive a wider release, as the shoe dropped on Nike.com and various Nike inline stores in addition to House of Hoops. They followed the precedent set by the previous Texas KDs, releasing in March 2012 for $95.

KD V (2013)

The overall success of the KD IV saw Durant’s signature line ascend to new heights. Taking this into account, Nike sought to broaden the appeal of the now-annual “Texas” colorway. Playing off of the all-grey uniforms worn by Texas Basketball during the early 2010s, the UT KD V was decked out in a primarily metallic grey upper. Black and burnt orange accents, as well as no University of Texas branding made this sneaker the least Texas colorway of a UT Durant since the KD I. Released in February 2013 for $115, the KD V “Texas” saw a much wider release than any Longhorns KD before it, and was available for purchase at most major Nike retailers such as Footlocker, Eastbay.com, and Nike.com.

KD VI (2013)

Nike’s desire to make the annual Texas colorway more appealing for non-Longhorn fans was never more apparent than with the KD VI “Texas”. Supposedly drawing inspiration from the starry night skies that can often be seen be seen above the Lone Star State, this pair of VIs featured a matte black upper paired with mint green accents and speckles. For the first time in the series, Nike decided not to include burnt orange on a Texas KD, instead opting for a brighter shade dubbed urban orange. Releasing suspiciously close to Halloween, the KD VI “Texas” was a general release that was available at most major Nike retailers for $130.

The KD VI was also the first time that a special colorway of a Kevin Durant signature sneaker was made specifically for University of Texas athletes. Given to UT basketball player around Thanksgiving of 2013, the KD VI “Texas PE” played it safe when compared to its general release counter-part. Sporting the tired and true white and burnt orange color combination, it’s understandably disappointing that these never received a public release.

KD VII (2014-2015)

With the player exclusive floodgates now open, Nike and Kevin Durant gifted the Texas Basketball teams with not one, but two pairs of UT KD VII PEs for the 2014-15 season. A bright orange pair with metallic silver accents and the inverse, a metallic silver pair with bright orange accents made up this PE pack. While both pairs were undoubtedly UT KDs, as they were available only to Longhorn athletes, neither featured University of Texas branding or the school’s signature burnt orange color.

Continuing the (at the time) seven year tradition, Nike also made a Texas KD VII available for public purchase. This pair was almost identical to predominantly metallic silver pair that was issued to the basketball team, with the exception of the heel piece which featured bright orange instead of grey. Officially dubbed the “Wild West” colorway by the Swoosh (likely to appeal to a broader consumer base), the UT KD VIIs released in December of 2014 for $150.

In addition to the official Longhorns KD VIIs, Nike also released a sportswear version of the sneaker that had ties to the University of Texas. Known as the KD VII “Longhorn State”, these Durant’s featured a Pony Hair upper with animal print throughout, inspired by the hid of a Longhorn steer. Black accents and a gum brown outsole rounded out a rather unique sneaker, at least compared to other UT themed Durants. The KD VII EXT QS “Longhorn State” released at select Nike accounts in January of 2015 for $200.

KD VIII (2015)

The KD VIII marked the first time that Nike did not release a Texas KD to the public, breaking a seven year streak. This was likely due to the uncertainty surrounding the partnership between Nike and the University of Texas at the time, as the contract between the two entities was set to expire in 2016. While UT would eventually resign with Nike for a then record $250 million, there was not enough time for the good folks over in Oregon to produce a Texas colorway of the KD VIII for the fanbase.

Despite no public release for the burnt orange faithful, Kevin Durant and the Swoosh continued to take care of the University of Texas basketball teams. Like the KD VII the previous year, players were given two exclusive colorways to ball in. The first colorway featured a predominantly light grey (almost white) upper with burnt orange accents, intended to be worn with the team’s home uniforms. For road games, the second Texas KD VIII was draped in burnt orange, and paired with grey and black accents throughout. While Nike continued to do a great job with the team PEs, the lack of a general release pair of UT VIIIs was without a doubt upsetting to longtime fans of the series.

Nike Zoom KD9 (2016/2017)

The KD9 was Kevin’s most high profile shoe yet, and was intended to take his signature line to the level of Nike’s other superstar athletes: Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. Given this, expectations were high for this year’s iteration of the Texas KD series, and fans eagerly awaited what new colorways Nike had in store. They would not have to wait long for a sneak peak, as design sketches of potential Texas KD9s leaked via Twitter in late July. These sketches showed four Texas Longhorns colorways of the KD9, as well as three UT colorways of Durant’s “takedown” model, the Nike KD Trey 5 IV. The pairs shown in the images included various color combinations of burnt orange, white, black, grey, and metallic sliver, and featured UT branding on the heel.

Despite the preview, Longhorn Fans wouldn’t get their first real look at a University of Texas KD9 until October, just before the start of the 2016-17 basketball season. Nike upped the ante yet again with Durant’s 9th signature shoe, equipping Texas Basketball with three player exclusive UT colorways. Each pair of this trio of KD9s PEs featured an either black, white, or grey upper, paired with burnt orange accents and a translucent outsole. University of Texas branding also made its return on the KD9, after being absent on the previous four models. All three colorways featured TEXAS font on the heel pull tab and a Longhorn on the insole, giving these University of Texas PEs a truly custom feel.

Their contract with the school now secure, Nike saw fit to once again make a Texas KD available for public purchase. This would be the most widespread release yet for the series, as the KD9 “Texas” was the first University of Texas themed KD shoe to be available at global retail. The sneakers were done up primarily in sail white, paired with a gum outsole and Zoom Air bubble. A bold burnt orange Swoosh coupled with burnt orange ’35’ contrasting tongue stitching gave these shoes a Texas touch. Finally, the heel pull tab featured the same TEXAS font as the player exclusive variants, marking the return of UT branding to a retail released Texas KD for the first time since the KD IV. Initially debuted by the UT Men’s Basketball team in a February matchup against the Kansas Jayhawks, the KD9 “Texas” would eventually release in March 2017 for $150.

KD Trey 5 IV (2016)

While not part of the official KD signature line, Texas Basketball also received a player exclusive colorway of the KD Trey 5 IV for the 2016-17 season. This model sported a white upper paired with burnt orange accents, along with a translucent outsole. Texas branding was also present, this time in the form of a Longhorn logo located on the heel of the shoe. While over the years UT basketball has received numerous generic “team bank” editions of the KD Trey 5 line, the IVs mark the only time that a special Texas branded version of KD’s takedown shoe has been created for the school.

Nike Zoom KD10 (2017)

As part of their bowl gifts for the 2017 Texas Bowl, Longhorn Football players received a special UT colorway of the Nike Zoom KD10. The first pair of Texas Durant’s explicitly distributed to the football team, these KD10s were done up in black, paired with burnt orange accents and a white Swoosh. While Texas branding was scarce, each sneaker featured a dubrae with the Longhorn logo and font TEXAS printed on each side. The TEXAS wordmark was also printed on the insole of the sneaker. Despite the Horn’s big win over Missouri in the bowl game, Nike chose to keep the KD10 “Texas” exclusive to UT athletes. But despite not receiving an official release, a few pairs were sold at various Nike Factory Stores across the the country, and eventually made their way on to secondary online marketplaces such as eBay.com.

As was the case with prior models, Kevin Durant and Nike outfitted the UT basketball teams with player exclusive colorways of the KD10. Mirroring the PE colorways of the KD9, this pack included a white, black, and wolf grey KD10, each paired with burnt orange accents. The white and grey pairs both sported burnt orange speckles on the midsole, while the black pair opted for a burnt orange to black gradient fade. The Longhorn logo was pressed into the heel of each shoe, rounding out a a great looking pack of Texas KDs.

Nike Zoom KD11 (2018)

Nike took detailing to the next level with the Zoom KD11 “Texas”. First shown by COISKI during during their video tour of the Texas Football facilities, these KD11s featured a black and burnt orange upper. For branding, the TEXAS wordmark was located on the heel, and the Longhorn logo printed on the insole each each sneaker. Beneath a translucent blue outsole, a repeating font “Longhorns” and “Hook’em Horns” could be found on the the left and right shoe respectively. While the UT KD11s were most notably given to the Texas Football team, the shoes were also issued to variety of other athletic squads, including the tennis and basketball teams. This made the Longhorn 11s one of the mostly widely distributed player exclusive KDs to date, and helped to cement Durant’s relationship with the entire athletic department.

In addition to the colorway given to many different UT athletic teams, KD also made sure to outfit his former college basketball squad with their own special set of KD11s. Like the KD9 and the KD10, Texas Basketball received three pairs of the 11s, with each shoe sporting various color combinations of burnt orange, white, and black. On the left shoe of each pair, an embroidered Longhorn logo replaced the KD logo that could usually be found on the heel of the KD11.

The KD11 also marked the first time that a Texas colorway of the KD line was worn by the superstar himself during an NBA game. Taking advantage of the NBA’s less restrictive stance on player footwear, Kevin Durant donned the predominantly burnt orange player exclusive pair for a few games during the 2018-19 NBA season.

Nike Zoom KD12 (2019/2020)

Nike kept it simple with the KD12 “Texas”, optingfor a classic burnt orange upper paired with white and black accents. A Longhorn logo was placed on the heel of the right shoe for a school specific touch. Like the KD11, the 12 was issued to players on a variety of UT athletic teams, most notably those on the football and basketball squads. The Texas KD12 also continued the trend of being made exclusively for UT athletes, however a few larger sizes of the sneaker were sold at Nike Factory Stores across the US in the first few months of 2020.

The men’s and women’s basketball teams were also given another special Texas colorway of the KD12. Matching the teams’ home uniforms, this KD12 PE featured a white upper coupled with a burnt orange midsole and accents. Unlike the primarily burnt orange UT KD12s, the Longhorn logo was printed on the heel of both sneakers.

Perhaps the most curious pair of Texas KD12s were revealed by one of KD’s acquaintances on Instagram. A brown upper along with black and white accents gave this pair of UT KDs a distinctly muted feel. If not for the inclusion of the Longhorn logo on the heel of each shoe, it could be argued that these had no relation the University of Texas at all. With only a few images to go off of and no official acknowledgment that they even exist from Nike or UT, it is safe to say that these Texas KD12s are exclusive to the friends and family of Mr. Durant.

Alamo Bowl KD Cleats (2019)

Kevin Durant and Nike looked to broaden their partnership with the UT football team by outfitting the squad with special edition KD cleats for the 2019 Alamo Bowl. Inspired by the KD IV “Christmas” colorway, each cleat sported a copper colored upper paired with black accents. The KD logo could also be found on each cleat, cementing the collaboration with Durant. While this assortment of Kevin Durant cleats was in reality nothing more than Nike’s standard football lineup affixed with the KD logo, it set the stage for future on-field partnerships between the NBA superstar and one of the winningest programs in college football history.

The Future

While the chance that Nike will continue to produce University of Texas KD sneakers is high, many questions remain about the future of the series. Will additional KD branded cleats be created for the football team, or will Nike chose to outfit other UT athletic teams with sport specific KD footwear? Will we ever see retros of past Texas Durants? And perhaps most importantly, will Nike ever return to releasing UT KDs to the general public? While the future is no doubt uncertain, the Texas KD line has had a strong run so far, and it almost certainly continue to generate excitement among Longhorn fans and sneakerheads for many years to come.

Which pair of University of Texas KDs is your personal favorite, and which one are you still on the hunt for?

Images via Nike, @utexasequipment, @UTBasketballEQ, Randy Williams, Noah Graham, COISKI, and StockX