Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant is a walking highlight reel. He’s one of the NBA’s brightest new stars, and now his stardom is set to increase thanks to his first signature shoe with 
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From a looks standpoint, Morant’s signature line begins with the “Midnight Series,” said to be the first of three series on the way. Playing off his #12 jersey, the “Midnight Series” is inspired by the clock striking midnight. “Ja feels like he’s always putting in the work while people are asleep,” noted Nethongkome. Nike VP of men’s basketball Scott Munson describes the Ja 1 as “one of the richest number of drops that we’ve done for the launch of a shoe,” and he’s not speaking in hyperbole: Ja fans will have a cornucopia of choices.
During an early preview of the shoe in Memphis, five colorways were officially revealed. First was a colorful “Day One” pair, shown off in Nike’s announcement of the shoe. The “Day One” showcases Morant’s signature Grizzlies-esque light blue across the upper and speaks to his hardworking, blue-collar mentality. It’s joined by a soft sunrise pink that reminds him to put in work each day.
The color scheme is flipped by a complementary “Day One PE” that sees pink outfitting the upper while blue covers the sole, including at its icy translucent outsole. This outsole includes a handwritten tribute to everyone who’s been with him since day one, including his supporters, doubters and most of all, his daughter Kaari. For Morant, he was prompted to choose which of these two would hit shelves – leaving the other to be a PE – and he ultimately chose the light blue pair as the general launch colorway.1 of 5
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Mixing things up, a purple “Chimney” look – as seen on-foot during Morant’s Christmas Day game – carries unique text on its heel. The left shoe reads “CLIMB UP THE CHIMNEY” while the right exclaims “WE AIN’T DUCKING NO SMOKE,” referencing one of Morant’s triumphant post-game interviews from last season. Both details also come to life with chimney-like brickwork at the heel tabs and a smoky finish on the upper’s leather overlays.
Another shade of purple makes its way onto the Ja 1 with the “Trivia PE” colorway. Its color palette is inspired by board games that Morant and his family enjoy while various questions pertaining to the athlete appear in colorful text. Examples of these include “Where is Ja Morant from?” and “What College [sic] did Ja Morant attend?” putting his fans to the test to see how well they know him.
Lastly, Morant and the Nike Basketball team kicked it back to the Grizzlies’ original colors of turquoise, bronze, red and black with the “Scratch” colorway. Appearing with vicious claw marks inspired by the team’s mascot and Morant’s aggressive style of play, the pair is a fitting tribute. Its turquoise upper sees black scratches embroidered from the mudguard to the toe box while the black Swooshes appear with white markings. The white midsole also sees black tears printed towards the heel while a bronze tag and red trim offer final thematic touches.
As of now, a release date has not yet been announced. However, the Nike Ja 1 is currently expected to launch in April at a price of $110 USD in adult sizes and $90 USD in kid’s sizes, making it the most affordable signature footwear model that will be available from Nike Basketball. Stay tuned for more information as Morant and Nike continue their ascent to the top.
“Ja’s young and excited, like a kid in a candy store,” says Nethongkome “We’re excited to see his line grow.”
If Morant’s shoes continue to be even half as exciting as his on-court theatrics are, basketball fans should be excited too.
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