Memphis Grizzlies Ja Morant's Nike Ja 3 signature sneaker drawing strong support, reviews

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Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant wanted to be bold.

Morant, tabbed as Nike basketball's first Gen Z signature athlete, debuted his third model, the Ja 3, during the 2025 NBA playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Since then, the Ja 3 has become available to the public, and many people believe it's Morant's best model yet.

Nike and Morant have tabbed the Ja 3 as his first shoe built from scratch. It not only looks notably different from the first two models, but it's also built differently from the sneakers of other Nike signature shoe athletes who have prioritized low-cut models.

Morant had a strong say in the design, texture and traction of the Ja 3.

"The Ja 3 really stands out and speaks to Ja's energy," sneaker expert Jacques Slade, who has his own YouTube channel, told The Commercial Appeal. "It's almost like a silo as far as Nike basketball shoes go, because it feels so much like Ja's explosive energy, unlike the ones in the past they kind of felt a little tamed. This one feels a little more wild and energetic."

The shoe features a uniquely slanted Nike swoosh, which was created by Morant himself. During a Nike campus session, he spray-painted the swoosh at an angle in the form of the letter "J," leading to the idea of adding an "A" and creating his logo for the Ja 3.

"I was able to be very creative in that room," Morant said in an interview with Slam Magazine. "I think it was my first time doing graffiti, but it worked out well. And we were able to bring it to life throughout the shoes in the Ja 3."

Ja 3 support

Morant's first two models received support from some NBA players, but there is reason to believe the Ja 3 could be worn more league-wide. Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell is a big supporter of the Ja 1, and a few other NBA players have suited up in the Ja 2's, but most of the players who have worn Morant's sneakers have had a connection with the Grizzlies star. Outside of McConnell and Morant's teammates, fellow South Carolina native Nic Claxton and former Grizzlies teammate Jake LaRavia sported Ja models more than anyone.

The Ja 3 is already receiving backing from WNBA players. All-Star Sonia Citron debuted a colorway during the All-Star Game in July, and New York Liberty guard Natasha Cloud broke out the "price of admission" colorway the same month.

As recently as Sept. 14, four WNBA players wore Ja 3 sneakers in a game, making it the fifth-most worn shoe in the WNBA on that night, according to sneaker tracker kixstats.

"The more people talk about him and the more people that are wearing (Ja 3's), the better," Slade said. "It's a great time now because the WNBA is getting the recognition that it's deserved for so long. I think anytime you have his shoe out there, it helps the cause. Especially if it's getting traffic online."

What's coming

Many more colorways are coming. In previous models, Morant used different colorways to illustrate stories. That seems to be the case again with the Ja 3.

Morant's "price of admission" Ja 3 was released on Aug. 21 and sold out online in less than a hour.

While the Ja 3's aren't releasing at the rapid speed of the Ja 1 or 2, Morant is expected to have a number of special holiday releases and other storytelling colorways that he'll debut during the NBA season.

Damichael Cole is the Memphis Grizzlies beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Damichael at damichael.cole@commercialappeal.com. Follow Damichael on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DamichaelC.