If there’s one thing NBA superstar Kevin Durant is good for—besides knocking down a three in the clutch—it’s telling the truth to shame the devil. And while most celebrities in his position opt to ignore their detractors entirely, the two-time NBA champ has no problem whatsoever clapping back at trolls in interviews or on the internet—as evidenced by his Twitter sniper fire over the weekend after his Brooklyn Nets signed seven-time NBA All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge.
But another conduit for Durant’s unique insight and opinions is his podcast, The ETCs with Kevin Durant, which is backed by his own media platform, The Boardroom. And on the latest episode, he’s joined by fashion and sneaker designer Jerry Lorenzo, where they touched on a myriad of topics, including KD’s iconic three-pointer from the 2017 NBA Finals. That infamous trey lifted the Golden State Warriors past the Cleveland Cavaliers, allowing the Dubs to take a commanding 3-0 series lead.
“Bro, it was so liberating,” Durant says. “I practiced that shot so many times and I missed it a bunch in games before, in times that stuck out to me and I finally made one. For it to be the biggest shot of the season, I was just like, man, you think about all that work you put in when you achieve some success. [...] I understood how fast the game transitions from each end and how to get excited for one play and when to let it go.”
He continued, “I was excited, went on a little hop back and then once I turned around and got ready for defense, I was like, ‘All right, I know exactly how that shot’s gonna live for the rest of my life. So now I can just dispose of it and get ready for the next position.’”
Lorenzo, founder of luxury streetwear brand Fear of God, also reflected on his own success in the fashion industry and the late Nipsey Hussle’s impact on his popular clothing company.
“Being Black men and understanding what it’s like to be out on the forefront in our respective industries, with no other intention other than to pave the way for people behind us, we just had a very strong connection,” Lorenzo says.
On also having the opportunity to work with Nipsey’s brother, Blacc Sam, Lorenzo considered it an honor.
“Just the nuances of making sure the hoodie was exactly what it needed to be, to honor him and having his brother do that with me, it just gave me the reassurance that this platform that I’ve been given isn’t about me,” Lorenzo says. “Those are the moments that keep you going when you’re able to honor someone like that and provide through our donation to his seeds. That was an amazing experience that the family allowed us to do it and that they even got in the weeds with us—making sure it was what it needed to be and fully represented who he was.”
During the episode, Lorenzo also dished on his partnership with Adidas and how he uses fashion to change preconceived notions.
“I think it’s a product of growing up in a lot of different cities, being exposed to a lot of different cultures,” Lorenzo says. “Being Black [...] of mixed race, so not fully Black. So in some Black circles, I’m not Black enough. In other circles, I’m also not fitting in there. And so how does my fashion allow me to move in and out of different circles and just be accepted for who I am?”
He continued, “What I try to do with my fashion is to relieve somebody else of their preconceived notions of who I may be because of my skin color when they see me. Hopefully, my fashion disarms them of what they may think about me.”
You can check out the episode in its entirety on your podcast platform of choice.