Nike Celebrates Kevin Durant's 30,000 Point Milestone With Ad Counting ‘Easy Money'
Kevin Durant became just the eight player in NBA history to surpass 30,000 career points Tuesday night. To celebrate the accomplishment, Nike released a new ad leaning into his 'Easy Money Sniper' nickname.
The spot shows a bill counter sorting through $100 bills featuring Durant's face while the machine's display shows his career point total climbing. His per-game average of 27.2 points remains static on the display, and once the 30,000 mark has been hit the money is removed and the tagline 'No money like Easy Money' appears.
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Durant has long used the handle 'Easy Money Sniper' on his social channels, and Nike has also released special-editions of his sneakers tied to the moniker. The KD 17 'Easy Money' just released in January, in fact, and features a multi-color upper printed with a collage of monetary motifs.
Ending his night with a career total of 30,008 points, Durant put up 34 points in the Phoenix Suns loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. Next above the 15-time NBA All-Star and two-time champion on the list of the league's top-scorers is Wilt Chamberlain, who sits at 7th all-time with 31,419 points. The remaining six players who've reached the 30,000 mark are — in ascending order of total points — Dirk Nowitzki, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Karl Malone, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and LeBron James.
Durant's newest signature sneaker, the Nike KD 18, will make its debut over the weekend for the NBA All-Star Game as part of the 'Black Label' collection. Just 1,988 pairs have been made to commemorate his birthday.
Ian Servantes is a Senior News Editor for Footwear News specializing in sneaker coverage. He's previously reported on streetwear and sneakers at Input and Highsnobiety after beginning his career on the pop culture beat. He subscribes to the idea that 'ball is life' and doesn't fuss over his kicks getting dirty.
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