Durant signs lifetime deal with Nike, joining Jordan, LeBron

PHOENIX (AP)— Kevin Durant and Nike have agreed to a lifetime contract, makinghim just the third NBA player to receive such a deal, joiningMichael Jordan and LeBron James.

The 13-timeAll-Star has a relationship with Nike that dates back to 2007,releasing 15 different sets of shoes. A 16th is coming soon.

“It means alot, man,” Durant said Friday at Suns practice. “It’s a dream cometrue. It’s something that I’ve been working towards since I was akid and having a partnership with Nike. To be in that company is ablessing. Looking forward to what we can do in the future.”

The lifetimedeal will continue to include shoes and other apparel, along withother “community and philanthropic collaboration focused ongrassroots basketball.”

Durant’s NBAjourney has carried him from Seattle to Oklahoma City to GoldenState to Brooklyn and now to Phoenix. He said that even back in2007 as a 19-year-old entering the league, he was confident he’d besuccessful.

“I did thinkthat if I stay focused and stay locked in to what I know I can do,I could do some big things and I can have a huge partner likeNike,” Durant said. “It’s just a matter of staying focused andhaving that endurance to keep getting up and doing this every day.So yeah, I had confidence that I can do so. But I had to put in alot of work to get here.”

The34-year-old Durant joined the Suns in a midseason trade with theNets. The two-time Finals MVP paired with Devin Booker, Chris Pauland Deandre Ayton to help the Suns beat the Los Angeles Clippers inthe opening round of the NBA playoffs.

They’ll facethe Denver Nuggets in Game 1 of the second round on Saturday.

“As one ofbest basketball players in the world, Kevin Durant has been animportant part of the Nike family for the past 16 years,” said JohnSlusher, Nike executive vice president of global marketing. “Welook forward to continuing to serve the next generation of athletestogether.”