“The New Face of Legs”: Kevin Durant turns viral skin-cident into a CeraVe social media ad

Kevin Durant’s 2021 “ashy legs” incident during a game against the Toronto Raptors ignited a firestorm of internet memes. But Durant has masterfully turned that long-standing viral meme into a profitable partnership with the global skincare brand, CeraVe.

He also became the brand’s first-ever "Face of Legs," proving that in the world of professional sports, even a skincare routine needs to be official.By embracing the narrative with the tagline, "Anything I do gotta be official. Even moisturizing," Durant is spearheading a social-media moment into an initiative to normalize skincare among male athletes.

Kevin Durant’s viral skin-cident led him to a partnership with CeraVe

Durant and CeraVe announced their partnership in January 2026 when the Rockets’ star posted a video on his social media and captioned it, “Y’all keep bringing up my legs…might be time to address it with CeraVe.” In the video, Durant reacted to the trolling comments left by NBA fans over the ashy ankle skin-cident. After the photo went viral back in 2021, Durant famously tweeted, "I’m about to pull my 'y’all broke' card in a second,” defending his performance over his hydration levels.

People saw this situation as a hilarious incident, but CeraVe saw an opportunity to bridge the gap between the NBA and dermatological health.In October 2025, CereVe, owned by L’Oréal, was named the NBA’s official skin care and hair care partner.

By leveraging Durant’s global reach, the "Moisturize Like a Derm" campaign aims at a male demographic who might neglect skin health. CeraVe has claimed that their moisturizing cream “delivers long-lasting relief for dry, flaky, and tight skin on the face and body.” It contains three essential ceramides and can provide up to 48-hours of hydration.

Kevin Durant’s and CereVe’s strategy and social-first approach

Durant and CeraVe’s collaboration is far from a traditional television ad buy, as it focuses more on the social-first approach.

Through this campaign, they want to capture the attention of the NBA's digital fanbase. Following the blueprint of Michael CeraVe Super Bowl stunt that gathered over 32 billion impressions, this campaign utilizes Durant’s massive social footprint to normalize skincare for men.With Durant currently averaging 25.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game in his 18th season, this endorsement carries significant weight as he’s rewriting the ashy narrative from an internet mockery into a high-utility partnership to highlight the importance of skin health.