The kind of modern athleticism that Kevin Durant embodies is brought to life by the new Nike Zoom KD13, especially in the shoe’s cushioning: an extra kidney-shaped Zoom unit in the forefoot beneath the full-length Air Zoom Strobel. That Zoom Strobel returns from the KD12, merging two shoe components to bring the foot closer to the Zoom unit. Where the KD12 used double-stacked Zoom under the heel for a soft ride, the KD13’s double-stacked forefoot Zoom encourages movement off the ball of the foot, whether it’s a hesitation dribble or a pivot into a turnaround jumper. The rebound between the adjacent Zoom units helps generate a response greater than what the units could do on their own.
“The purpose of a Zoom bag is similar to that of a mechanical spring underfoot,” says Ross Klein, Senior Creative Director of Nike Basketball. “The essence of a spring is giving back the amount of energy you put into it. In the KD13, we double the spring in the form of double-stacked forefoot Zoom cushioning, so you can travel further into the system and get more energy back.”
The mechanics of basketball place high demands on energy return. Movement has to follow a rough sequence of absorption, moderation and propulsion in every plane, whether it supports running, shuffling, cutting or jumping, all of which can look different depending on a player’s profile. Double-stacked forefoot Zoom is a tool for the kind of decisive play the modern player is known for.
The KD Trey edition of the model will follow soon, with the same specs for a fraction of the price. At Burned, we will be getting all colors of the Nike KD trey in stock.
