Tennessee State’s move to Nike is already paying dividends. NBA superstar Kevin Durant gifted the Tennessee State men’s basketball team pairs of his latest signature sneaker, giving the HBCU an exclusive delivery before the start of the 2026-27 season.
A video shared by the program showed Tennessee State players unboxing the Nike KD19s, the newest model in Durant’s signature line. The special delivery was reportedly facilitated by TSU head coach Nolan Smith, whose relationship with Durant dates back to long before either became a nationally known basketball name.
For an HBCU basketball program coming off its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 32 years, the shoes represent more than fresh gear. They are another sign of Tennessee State’s rising visibility—and an early glimpse at what its new relationship with Nike could provide.
Kevin Durant and Nolan Smith go back to the beginning
Durant’s connection to Tennessee State runs directly through Smith.
Before Durant became an NBA MVP and Smith became the head coach of an HBCU program, they were part of the same celebrated Prince George’s County basketball circle.
Durant, Smith, and future NBA standout Michael Beasley grew up together in the talent-rich DMV basketball scene. They shared gyms, recreation centers, and AAU experiences as they developed into three of the region’s most recognizable prospects.
Durant and Beasley played together for the PG Jaguars. Smith emerged from the same basketball environment before attending Oak Hill Academy, where he played against Durant’s Montrose Christian team in one of the era’s most memorable high school matchups.
Their careers eventually carried them in different directions.
Durant starred for one season at Texas before becoming the No. 2 overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft. Smith attended Duke, won a national championship in 2010, and became a first-round NBA Draft selection one year later.
Decades after they first crossed paths in Maryland, that relationship has created an unexpected bridge between one of basketball’s biggest stars and one of its most historic HBCU programs.
Smith is entering his second season as Tennessee State’s head coach after producing an immediate breakthrough in Nashville. He guided TSU to a share of the Ohio Valley Conference regular-season championship, the OVC Tournament title and its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1994.
He was subsequently named OVC Coach of the Year.
Now, as Smith builds his second Tennessee State roster, one of his oldest basketball relationships has provided the Tigers with some of the newest footwear in the sport.
Tennessee State’s Nike era starts with exclusive KD19s
The delivery comes just weeks after Tennessee State announced a new multiyear apparel agreement with Nike.
The HBCU revealed the partnership on July 17, officially moving its athletic department from Under Armour to Nike. BSN SPORTS will help facilitate parts of the agreement covering uniforms, footwear, apparel, and equipment across TSU’s athletic programs.
TSU Director of Athletics Dr. Mikki Allen described the move as part of the university’s push to elevate the experience of its athletes while strengthening the Tennessee State brand nationally.
Durant’s signature sneakers immediately bring some star power to that transition.
The KD19 is Durant’s 19th signature model with Nike. The performance shoe features a full-length Zoom Strobel cushioning system, a Cushlon 3.0 midsole, and an exterior TPU structure designed to provide additional containment.
Nike officially introduced the KD19 in March, then released its first colorways in June. The Tennessee State pairs appear to be an exclusive or not-yet-released edition of the shoe, adding another layer to the delivery.
It is the kind of moment that illustrates the recruiting and branding value an apparel relationship can carry beyond uniforms.
Players are receiving performance footwear from one of the game’s greatest scorers. Tennessee State gets an organic association with Durant’s signature line. Nike gains another authentic connection to an HBCU program entering the season with substantial momentum.
Kevin Durant has an established HBCU footprint
Tennessee State is not Durant’s first meaningful connection to HBCU athletics.
In 2022, Durant and the Durant Family Foundation committed $500,000 to Bowie State University, located near the Prince George’s County community that helped shape his basketball journey.
The investment supported renovations at Bowie State’s basketball facility, including a new court, upgraded seating, and improvements to its press box. Part of the commitment also established scholarships for students from the Durant Center College Track program who chose to attend Bowie State.
Durant has also helped get signature footwear to North Carolina Central’s basketball program.
NCCU previously received sneakers from Durant and other NBA players, ahead of a particularly culture-rich collaboration surrounding the KD15. Grammy-winning producer and NCCU alumnus 9th Wonder helped design a special version of the shoe and delivered pairs to the Eagles.
Those contributions have varied in size and scope, but they reveal a consistent pattern. Durant has used his resources, relationships, and longtime Nike partnership to create access for HBCU athletes and students.
The Tennessee State gift falls into that same lane while carrying its own personal story.
This was not simply an NBA star sending shoes to a random college program. It connected Durant to a childhood friend who has become one of HBCU basketball’s rising coaches. It welcomed a historic athletic department into its new Nike era. And it placed exclusive footwear in the hands of players preparing to defend an OVC championship.
Tennessee State worked for decades to return to March Madness. Now the Tigers are entering the next chapter with a championship coach, a reconstructed roster, a new apparel partner—and some exclusive heat directly from Kevin Durant.