‘Tis a most wonderful time of the year. The countdown to Christmas starts today, and Nike is coming through with an early gift: the Zoom KD III basketball shoe.
Speculation was rampant on the exact day this model would hit shelves, with some bloggers pegging it closer to Christmas Day and others forecasting a 2011 release. It doesn’t matter who was right or wrong—the good news is that the third edition of Kevin Durant’s signature kick is here, just in time for the start of the high school hoops season.
Even better news? Available at Eastbay.com for just $88, the KDs are light on the wallet, so you can go hard in the paint without breaking the bank.
Highlights of KD’s new court kicks:

• Flywire technology debuts in the KD line
• Weighing in at 13.5 ounces, the KD III is the lightest shoe in the line
• Nike Zoom Air technology in the forefoot provides superior comfort and stability

Personal details include:

• Video game control buttons (KD35) on the heel counter
• The inscription “BF62” on the sole, representing the 62 points KD scored in a 2008 summer league game at the famed Barry Farms outdoor park in Washington, D.C.
• KD logo on the tongue of the shoe; the D is hollowed out, making it easier to slip on the shoe and get laced up

Can the KD IIIs be any merrier? In addition to the seven colorways Nike has in store for them, plans are in the works for these mids to make their way to the NIKEiD store.
Here’s a closing thought from Leo Chang, Nike shoe designer and creator of the KD III: When asked during a live Facebook chat if the affordable price of the KD III signaled an inferior product, he said, “The key reason why the KD III is cheaper than the other Nike signature shoes is because KD specifically wanted it to be affordable. By no means is it inferior in performance…BTW, KD wears STOCK kicks, not customized.”
As we asked last week, what’s not to like about the Oklahoma City Kid?

Source:  Sole Collector
Photos:  Sole Collector, Eastbay