Nike Basketball and new Golden State Warriors player star Kevin Durant will begin a weeklong tour of Greater China, where the basketball star will hold clinics with local kids, make surprise visits and share new insights into Nike Basketball innovations.

After launching the, the KD9, and taking his career to the Bay Area, Kevin Durant is poised for a new period of evolution, both personally and professionally.

Durant’s five days will span Guangzhou, Hong Kong and Taipei. His mornings will be spent training for the Rio Olympics this summer. Nike also explained that Durant is an emerging photographer and will snapshot his journey.

“You don’t know how big the world is until you actually go and see different cultures and see different people,” Durant said. “I think that feeling is what makes this whole thing special.”

Nike also took the opportunity to co-announce the release of new KD9 colorways, the KD9 Unlimited and KD9 Birds of Paradise, that will release in August. On a larger brand perspective, Durant’s China visit  is an extension of Nike’s larger commitment to grow in China.


Through its partnership with China’s National team, Chinese Taipei and Team Hong Kong since 1996, 1997 and 2007, respectively, Nike has committed to growing the game at the team level in Greater China. Over the twenty-year period of involvement, the relationship has expanded, as has Nike’s involvement in Chinese sport.

In 2014, Nike, the Yao Foundation and the Hope School Basketball Program joined in expanding opportunity for young athletes in remote areas of China, serving more than 322,000 children from 342 Hope Schools through 2015.

Looking ahead to the 2019 FIBA World Cup, hosted by China, Nike remains committed to supporting the growth of basketball in the region through specialty coaching for young players, training camps for the national team and a continuation of shared experience with ambassadors like Durant.

Photos courtesy Nike