Matt Varga It’s hard to get more electric than the Mecca. Everyone from Michael Jordan to LeBron James has espoused the atmosphere at Madison Square Garden, and at long last, the home team has been the beneficiary of that historic air more often than not in the past few seasons. However, there’s no doubt that visitors still carry some extra oomph for their visits to NYC in hopes of reversing that course, with Ja Morant the latest to toss his hat into the ring.
As part of what’s become a consistent “leak” cadence for the Murray State product, Morant took to Instagram to preview the Nike Ja 3 “Welcome to the Garden,” a colorway that’ll be on foot as he takes on the Knickerbockers on November 11. You’ll immediately clock some serious resemblance to the Ja 3 “Scratch 3.0,” a Grizzlies-approved version of his breakout signature shoe, bearing the same teal-and-black split from that team-ready edition. The main distinction comes in swapping the red Swoosh for white accents, something that imbues the Parks Department–style leaf in the midsole as a nod to the Big Apple. Further, #12 returns to the graffiti “JA” branding on the lateral side, a touch that fittingly already draped the “NY v. NY” colorway and aligns with the cityscapes of Midtown Manhattan.
Given the overall proximity to the Ja 3 “Scratch 3.0,” we’re estimating that this “Welcome to the Garden” edition is a PE for the man himself. However, without any official word from him or the Swoosh, we can’t entirely rule this shoe out as a public release. Regardless of the release intrigue behind this shoe, you can check out this “leak” shot embedded below. Keep our Sneaker Release Dates page within reach for updates on all the notable pairs coming down the pike.
