Nike has unveiled a new Olympics Promotional advertisement featuring several star players, including Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, Victor Wembanyama, former professional tennis player Serena Williams, and the Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James. The commercial tries to encourage American athletes to prepare for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. However, the advertisement missed an essential athlete who is Widely regarded as one of the greatest players in NBA history. Nike has excluded The two-time NBA champion Kevin Durant from the advertisement.
Durant expressed his disappointment with Nike, the world’s largest athletic shoe brand. The 14-time NBA All-Star took to Instagram to share his feelings, tagging Nike and asking, “Tell me, am I a bad person?” Additionally, the two-time NBA Finals MVP posted several photos of his achievements, including a picture of himself winning a gold medal at the Olympics alongside LeBron James and Kobe Bryant.
Kevin Durant has taken to his IG stories with a question for the Swoosh đź‘€
This morning, Nike released a new campaign for the Olympics featuring some of the brand’s biggest stars, including the likes of LeBron James, Giannis, and Wemby (enormous basketball names signed to Nike),… pic.twitter.com/yjusBHv0QC
— Complex Sneakers (@ComplexSneakers) July 19, 2024
NBA fans express their disappointment to Nike for excluding Durant from the Promotional Ad
It is important to recognize Kevin Durant’s significant achievements as the leading scorer in Team USA’s men’s Olympic basketball history. Moreover, He won three gold medals in 2012, 2016, and 2020 and a gold medal at the 2010 FIBA World Championship. Excluding him from the Nike advertisement would be highly disrespectful. NBA fans have expressed their disappointment by tagging Nike in the comment section.
One fan said, “Best Olympian being disrespected by Nike, been carrying Nike basketball shoe game since Kyrie got his deal taken away.”
Best olympian being disrespected by Nike, been carrying Nike basketball shoe game since Kyrie got his deal taken away
— 36 fan (@KDforMVP_) July 19, 2024
Meanwhile, another fan reacted, “Aren’t KD [Durant] sneakers the best-selling at Nike?”
Aren’t KD sneakers the best selling at Nike?
— NBA (@NBA04086413162) July 19, 2024
Another fan supported Durant and said, “Considering he’s [Durant] one of only three people to get a lifetime Nike deal, I understand why he would feel that way.”
If the ad is centered around the Olympics, it doesn’t make sense to not include the greatest men’s basketball Olympian.
Second KD is one of the most stable Nike brands which generate sales, and it doesn’t make sense to not include him.
— Waaqa⚖️Supreme (@SupremeWaaqa) July 19, 2024
Another fan explained, “If the ad is centered around the Olympics, it doesn’t make sense to not include the greatest men’s basketball Olympian. Second KD [Durant] is one of the most stable Nike brands which generate sales, and it doesn’t make sense to not include him.“
During a recent interview, Durant made a hilarious joke when asked who would be the better player in the NFL: him or Golden State Warriors player Draymond Green.