Nike And Ja Morant Unveil ‘Ja 3' Sneakers That Are Just As Explosive As Him

Forbes

01-05-2025

Ja 3
Ja Morant's name may be ubiquitous in sports headlines, but he's now drawing similar attention in the sneaker world with the release of his latest Nike collaboration. The Nike "Ja 3" marks the third installment in his signature line, following the success of the Ja 1 and Ja 2 silhouettes. Morant and Nike unveiled the Ja 3 on April 20, 2025, during the NBA playoffs—when all eyes are on the court and the shoes helping him shine.
With the unveiling of the Ja 3, Nike and Ja Morant aren't just releasing another basketball shoe—they're crafting a feeling with Morant mentioning that he wants consumers to feel "fearless." Building on the uniform of the 'Scratch' motif from his first two signature models, the Ja 3 arrives as a developed design that feels both intensely personal and just as unapologetic as Morant. A newly sculpted outsole, inspired by Morant's bulldog crossover, brings a tactical edge to the silhouette, while a full-length ZoomX foam midsole ensures the kind of spring-loaded responsiveness that is needed for Morant's signature dunk.
But beyond performance, there's symbolism. The Ja 3 is a reflection of Morant himself—fiery, explosive, impossible to ignore. Think: his controversial grenade celly during a game. Nike puts it briefly: 'The Ja 3 was engineered to showcase Ja's standard of bold, energetic design, channeling his hands-on creative approach into a silhouette that speaks to his ongoing contributions to sneaker culture.'
Morant chimes in: 'I told the Nike design team I needed something that talks before I even lace it up,' says Ja. 'I wanted my third signature shoe to feel like my game and my personality. I told them, 'Don't be scared. Push it. Make it rugged, make it different.' And they ran with it.'
Ja 3
The Ja 3 introduces a newly engineered micro-traction outsole—The design quite literally bites into the hardwood, gripping with tenacity as he shifts direction, creating the kind of ground control that's not only needed when playing basketball, but when climbing, hiking, and any other movement based activities where you rely on traction.
'I'm reading the game way better now — slowing it down when I need to, attacking when I see the opening,' says Ja. "The Ja 3 matches that. It's got that balance: Speed when I need it, control when I need to switch gears."
Just as he's a visible force on the court, Ja Morant's presence is deeply felt in his latest signature sneaker. The Ja 3 features his monogram pattern across the electric pink upper, making a bold visual statement. According to Nike, the design is detailed "from top to bottom," including a vertical Swoosh that forms a 'JA' inscription on the lateral side of the shoe. Each outsole carries one of Morant's signature quotes: 'A happy Ja is a scary Ja' on the right, and 'I'm not even worried about proving them wrong' on the left. His jersey number, 12, is also subtly incorporated, with a '1' centered on the left outsole and a '2' on the right.
Although he happened to debut them during the infamous Grizzlies loss eliminating them from the playoffs, the fiery pink sneaker with advanced micro-traction outsoles and comfortability will most likely live on to see another win.