Kicks

Kevin Durant Stuns Suns Fans With Beautiful Nike KD 18 "El Valle"

Phoenix Suns fans love the new Nike KD 18 "El Valle" colorway.

Pat Benson

Mar 24, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) celebrates after a play during the fourth quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at Footprint Center.
Mar 24, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) celebrates after a play during the fourth quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at Footprint Center. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
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The vibes around the Valley are all of a sudden looking much better. Last night, Kevin Durant put up 38 points and eight rebounds to power the Phoenix Suns to a 108-106 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Suns have won four straight games and are narrowly hanging onto the final Western Conference Play-In spot. Even if NBA fans are not interested in a middling Suns team, they command the attention of the sneaker community.

Devin Booker continues to roll out new player-exclusive colorways, and not to be outdone, Durant debuted one of the most objectively beautiful sneakers of the NBA season on Monday night.

During last night's win over the Bucks, Durant debuted the Nike KD 18 in the "El Valle" colorway. The mesmerizing colorway sported a purple upper, black accents, and hints of orange and teal.

The phrase "El Durant" appeared on the left tongue to help provide the finishing touch to the Phoenix-themed sneakers. It should be no surprise that social media immediately lit up with talk about the kicks during the game.

The first question every fan had was if the Nike KD 18 "El Valle" would be released. Currently, there is no official release information. A shoe with this much detail in the design is usually a player-exclusive style.

Adding to the suspense, the Nike KD 18 is not even out yet. Durant's 18th signature sneaker officially launches globally in April for $150 in adult sizes. Fans got a limited-edition Nike KD 18 "Black Label" colorway at NBA All-Star Weekend, but that was limited to just 1,985 units.

In the meantime, the Nike KD17 is available in five colorways. Online shoppers can buy the performance basketball shoes at discounts ranging from 19% to 29% in adult sizes on the Nike website.

It looks like Durant will power the Suns into the NBA postseason, which only gives sneakerheads more reason to tune into their games. Stay locked into Sports Illustrated's Kicks On SI for all of your most important footwear news from the NBA and beyond.

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Pat Benson
PAT BENSON

Pat Benson covers the sneaker industry for Kicks On Sports Illustrated. Previously, he has reported on the NBA, authored "Kobe Bryant's Sneaker History (1996-2020)," and interviewed some of the biggest names in the sports world. You can email him at 1989patbenson@gmail.com.

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