Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant makes huge HBCU move

The KD19s are the newest model sneaker in Durant’s signature shoe line. It’s the latest move in a blossoming relationship between Durant and Tennessee State head coach Nolan Smith, who have known each other for years. Durant and Smith are childhood friends who grew up in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Smith and Durant both played basketball and grew their friendship as young hoops prospects.

They both then started their college journeys, with Smith playing for Mike Krzyzewski at Duke and Durant playing at Texas. Durant played one season and declared for the 2007 NBA draft, when he was selected with the number two overall pick by the Seattle Supersonics. The Supersonics ultimately moved to Oklahoma City, where he became synonymous with the organization’s early success in the 2010s, alongside Russell Westbrook and James Harden.

Smith went on to play four seasons with Duke from 2007 to 2011, where he declared for the NBA Draft and was selected with the 21st pick by the Portland Trail Blazers. He played in the NBA for four seasons from 2011 to 2015. Before beginning his coaching career in 2016 by returning to Duke. now he leads a Tennessee State program that won the OVC Big South Championship and clinched a spot in the March Madness Tournament

And Kevin Durant’s HBCU move starts Tennessee State’s era as a Nike school.