'Rare company': Durant, Nike reach lifetime deal

Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant has become the third NBA player to reach a lifetime deal with Nike, he announced on Boardroom on Friday.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“When I first signed with Nike, I couldn’t have dreamed of how far we’d go in this partnership. We’ve done amazing work creatively and philanthropically,” Durant said in a post on Boardroom, the media outlet he co-founded. “We’ve done amazing work creatively and philanthropically. We’ve traveled the world together and built a business that will now last forever. I’m excited for the future and honored to be in rare company with this deal.”

Michael Jordan and LeBron James also have lifetime Nike deals.

Durant, 34, is in his 15th NBA season and is a 13-time All-Star. He led the Suns to a series win over the LA Clippers in the first round of the playoffs.

He signed an endorsement deal with Nike as an NBA rookie in 2007. While the 16th Kevin Durant shoe is upcoming, his relationship with the company extends beyond footwear. Nike supports Durant’s commitment to philanthropy, including basketball at the grassroots level through his Kevin Durant Charity Foundation.

“As one of best basketball players in the world, Kevin Durant has been an important part of the Nike family for the past 16 years,” said John Slusher, Nike’s executive vice president of global sports marketing. “We look forward to continuing to serve the next generation of athletes together.”