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| Only five other active NBA players have a signature Nike sneaker line. Michael Reaves / Getty Images |
As Detroit Pistons All-Star Cade Cunningham sat across from Houston Rockets superstar Kevin Durant, someone he grew up watching in Arlington, Texas, a firm dap between the two Nike athletes solidified what seemed to be brewing since last season.
Cunningham confirmed to Durant that Nike is lining up a signature shoe for him that is set to debut in the spring of 2027. The 24-year-old joins Durant, LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Ja Morant and Devin Booker as the only active NBA players with Nike signature shoes. (Jordan Brand, a subsidiary of Nike, has signature shoes for Jayson Tatum, Luka DonΔiΔ and Zion Williamson.)
“I don’t got no words about it, bro,” Cunningham said to Durant in a video released by Boardroom, the sports, business and entertainment media brand founded by Durant and agent Rich Kleiman. “It’s a dream come true, bro.”
Nike has been making Cunningham player edition G.T. Cut shoes with his logo on the heel since last season. Cunningham debuted various colorways throughout the calendar year and had a new colorway as recently as Nov. 10, when he scored a career-high 46 points against the Washington Wizards.
While Cunningham has missed the Pistons’ last two games with a hip contusion, he is on pace for another career season, averaging 27.5 points, 9.9 assists, 5.4 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game. He has spearheaded Detroit’s 11-2 start and revitalized the Pistons’ franchise in the process.
Durant and Cunningham reflected on a conversation they had over the summer about the gravity of the situation. As Cunningham thought back on the conversation, Durant beamed with excitement.
“We were just talking about the Nike game and what it means,” Durant said. “How important that is to us. For you to get your own shoe, and for you to have a legacy. Do you know how big that is, bruh?”
Durant went on to give Cunningham props for having “one of the coldest logos” he’s ever seen, and encouraged Cunningham to be as hands-on during the design process as possible.
After the Pistons’ 28-game losing streak during the 2023-24 season, Monday’s Nike announcement felt like the culmination of the turbulent beginning to his NBA career. Cunningham is now officially slated to become one of the faces of Nike Basketball.
- Hunter Patterson
