Nike KD 9 Elite
Released 3/2017, High Top, Kevin Durant,
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Performance Ratings
8.5
EXPERT RATING
4 reviews
9.8
USER RATING
2 ratings
Performance Summary
Improved lacing system compared to the original KD9
Pros
Great Impact Protection
Cons
Won't fit wide feet
Best Suitable For: Works best for players with narrow feet looking for soft cushioning
Category Performance Ratings
8.5
Traction
Honeycomb traction pattern with soft rubber. Excellent grip on clean indoor courts but dust sensitive and loses bite on dirty surfaces.
9.3
Cushion
Full length Nike Zoom setup. Light, springy and protective with good impact protection but reduced court feel.
9.0
Materials
Soft Flyknit upper with lighter knit and synthetic structure. Lightweight, breathable and comfortable with a snug wrap.
7.5
Support
Strong lacing cables and an ankle sleeve add lockdown. Improved security for many but some report sliding and limited lateral containment.
7.5
Fit
Extremely long and very narrow fit. Snug lockdown with lacing but not suitable for wide feet and may cause pain.
0%
Outdoor
Soft rubber outsole that wears quickly outdoors. Poor durability on courts and not recommended for heavy outdoor use.
small
large
Sizing
Runs extremely long. Many reviewers recommend going down a full size for proper length.
narrow
wide
Width
Very narrow overall fit and forefoot. Best for narrow feet; wide-footers should avoid or size up significantly.
Comparison to Similar Shoes:
 Nike KD 9 Elite |  Nike Kobe Protro 3 |  New Balance Fresh Foam BB V3 |  Nike LeBron NXXT Genisus |  Li-Ning Wade 808 5 Ultra |  Air Jordan 40 | Add shoe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Expert Rating | 8.5 | 8.2(0.3) | 8.8(0.3) | 8.2(0.3) | 8.9(0.4) | 8.8(0.3) | |
| User Rating | 9.8 | NA | 10.0(0.2) | 9.4(0.4) | 9.5(0.3) | NA | |
| Best Price | $149.99 | $169.99 $210 | $103.99 $130 | $100.97 $150 | $159 | $169.99 $205 | |
| Type of Cut | High Top | High Top | High Top | High Top | Low Top | Low Top | |
| Weight | 360g - 380g | NA | NA | NA | NA | 440g - 440g |
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$306.00
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Expert Reviews of the Nike KD 9 Elite:
Expert Rating: 8.5 (ranks #160 of 381)
10 - Amazing
0
9 - Great
3
8 - Good
1
7 - Average
0
6 - Subpar
0
5 - Poor
0
9.0
January 1, 2017
When it comes to performance the KD9 Elite is very similar to the original KD9. The most notable difference is the strong lacing cables which slightly enhance support and lockdown. However, this new lacing setup also makes the shoe even narrower which led to some pain on the side of my feet.
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8.8
January 1, 2017
A great shoe with slight improvements over the original KD9. The upper material is softer and more comfortable and the new lacing system provides more lockdown and support.
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8.5
January 1, 2017
It's a very specific shoe. Great if you have narrow feet and you are looking for a shoe with a lot of cushion and impact protection. If you are a shifty guard who does a lot of crossovers and cuts then the lacking support of the upper and the slightly unstable platform are not ideal. Not recommended if you have wide feet.
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7.8
January 1, 2017
The traction, cushion, and materials all bring out the best of Nike’s technology, unfortunately, the KD 9 Elite doesn't perform as well when it comes to support and fit.
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User Reviews of the Nike KD 9 Elite:
User Rating: 9.8 (ranks #3 of 381)
10 - Amazing
2
9 - Great
0
8 - Good
0
7 - Average
0
6 - Subpar
0
5 - Poor
0
Traction of the Nike KD 9 Elite:
Expert Traction Rating: 8.5 (ranks #222 of 381)
User Traction Rating: 10.0 (ranks #12 of 381)
10 - Amazing
2
9 - Great
2
8 - Good
2
7 - Average
0
6 - Subpar
0
5 - Poor
0
8.0
January 1, 2017
The traction is really solid.
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9.0
January 1, 2017
The honeycomb pattern is the same as in the KD9 and works very well.
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8.0
January 1, 2017
On clean courts, it's really nice, but on dusty courts, you are screwed.
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9.0
January 1, 2017
The overall traction experience is pretty consistent and has you covered in all directions.
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Cushion of the Nike KD 9 Elite:
Expert Cushion Rating: 9.3 (ranks #55 of 381)
User Cushion Rating: 10.0 (ranks #12 of 381)
10 - Amazing
3
9 - Great
3
8 - Good
0
7 - Average
0
6 - Subpar
0
5 - Poor
0
9.0
January 1, 2017
A springy light cushioning setup. A lot of impact protection but I would have preferred more court feel.
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9.0
January 1, 2017
Full length-zoom remains unchanged.
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10.0
January 1, 2017
The full-length Nike Zoom cushioning is close to an ideal cushion.
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9.0
January 1, 2017
Unchanged from the Original KD 9, and we're perfectly okay with that.
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Materials of the Nike KD 9 Elite:
Expert Materials Rating: 9.0 (ranks #37 of 381)
User Materials Rating: 10.0 (ranks #6 of 381)
10 - Amazing
2
9 - Great
4
8 - Good
0
7 - Average
0
6 - Subpar
0
5 - Poor
0
9.0
January 1, 2017
The materials are lightweight, flexible and wrap around your feet really nicely.
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9.0
January 1, 2017
The Flyknit is less tightly knit and allows for more ventilation.
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9.0
January 1, 2017
The Flyknit is soft and looks a little better than in the original.
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9.0
January 1, 2017
The Flyknit Upper is very comfortable.
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Support of the Nike KD 9 Elite:
Expert Support Rating: 7.5 (ranks #354 of 381)
User Support Rating: 9.5 (ranks #26 of 381)
10 - Amazing
1
9 - Great
3
8 - Good
0
7 - Average
1
6 - Subpar
0
5 - Poor
1
9.0
January 1, 2017
I really, really, really like this new setup of the KD9 elite. It really locks in your feet and I felt it offered a little more support than the regular KD9.
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9.0
January 1, 2017
Adding a sleeve in the ankle area helps to improve lockdown and support which makes you feel a little more secure.
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7.0
January 1, 2017
I wish there was a little more support.
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5.0
January 1, 2017
My foot was sliding in every direction within the shoe with minimal effort and I just didn’t feel secure.
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Fit of the Nike KD 9 Elite:
Expert Fit Rating: 7.5 (ranks #354 of 381)
User Fit Rating: 10.0 (ranks #5 of 381)
10 - Amazing
2
9 - Great
0
8 - Good
1
7 - Average
1
6 - Subpar
0
5 - Poor
0
8.0
January 1, 2017
The fit is more customizable but this shoe is still not made for wide-footers.
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7.0
January 1, 2017
If you don’t have a long, narrow foot like Durant himself, you’re going to have some issues with the fit.
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Durability of the Nike KD 9 Elite:
User Durability Rating: 9.5 (ranks #27 of 381)
10 - Amazing
1
9 - Great
1
8 - Good
0
7 - Average
0
6 - Subpar
0
5 - Poor
0
Outdoor of the Nike KD 9 Elite:
Expert Outdoor Rating: 0.0 (ranks #368 of 381)
User Outdoor Rating: 75.0 (ranks #105 of 381)
Good (100%)
1
Fair (50%)
1
Bad (0%)
2
no
January 1, 2017
The durability playing outdoors is probably not great since the rubber outsole is soft.
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no
January 1, 2017
The rubber compound Nike uses isn’t very durable and the outsole started to wear off quickly outdoors.
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Width of the Nike KD 9 Elite:
very narrow
3
slightly narrow
0
regular
2
slightly wide
0
very wide
1
very narrow
January 1, 2017
Even narrower than the original KD9.
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very wide
January 1, 2017
Not suitable for wide-footers.
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very narrow
January 1, 2017
The shoe is super narrow.
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very narrow
January 1, 2017
Width is uncomfortably narrow.
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Size of the Nike KD 9 Elite:
very small
0
slightly small
0
true to size
2
slightly long
0
very long
2
runs large
January 1, 2017
I was able to go a full size down.
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runs large
January 1, 2017
Runs extremely long.
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