John Kim On Christmas Day, Nike unwraps the debut signature shoe for Ja Morant, the unstoppable guard leading the Memphis Grizzlies to the tier of championship contenders. This “Day One” launch colorway is currently set to release in April 2023.
As the newest member of the Nike Basketball family, Ja joins a highly-exclusive roster that hasn’t seen a new face since Giannis Antetokounmpo’s debut in 2019. Adding the rising superstar was always in the works for the Swoosh after he signed with the brand in 2019, and the shoe was in the works for roughly two years. But it can’t be ignored that Ja’s arrival does fill in an unexpected vacancy as the brand has officially dissolved its partnership with Kyrie Irving.
The Ja 1 is designed with an “underdog” ethos. He wasn’t a highly recruited protege, but was rather discovered serendipitously by Murray State assistant coach James Kane. Morant’s dedication to the game allowed him to be selected second overall in the stacked 2019 draft, and in just his fourth season, he’s established himself as a bonafide perennial MVP candidate.
Nike Basketball calls Ja Morant its first “Gen-Z athlete”. This is rather significant as the brand’s current line-up of signature stars are somewhat aged in relation to the current crop of young phenoms that include Luka Doncic, Zion Williamson, Trae Young, Anthony Edwards, and more.
Ja is confirmed to the debut the Nike Ja 1 during the Christmas Day game against the Golden State Warriors (8pm ET). He wore a purple colorway pictured below.
WHERE TO BUY
Nike Ja 1 "Day One"
US 04/19/2023 Wednesday
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