Ja Morant Shoes: A Full Timeline

At this point, who hasn’t heard of Ja Morant? In just his third year in the league, he’s established himself as a legit MVP contender and one of the most electrifying players in the NBA. In addition to his play, Ja Morant’s shoes are just as flashy as he is. A signature Ja Morant shoe is also imminent. Sneakerheads rejoice. Because of all that, it’s worth taking an in-depth look at a complete timeline of Ja Morant shoes.

Ja isn’t even this young man’s real name. Temetrius Jamel Morant was far from a household name just a few years ago, playing for a small university in Kentucky. Ja was a highlight machine in college, but few could have predicted his success in the league.

Shop Ja Morant

Ja’s first signature moment in the NBA came on a miss. His now-famous almost-dunk over Kevin Love would have been one of the best dunks in basketball history if he had made it. Even though he missed the dunk, it reflected Ja’s best quality as a superstar: fearlessness. Ja seems to have little or no jitters when facing NBA legends, and the Memphis Grizzlies have taken on Ja’s defiant style.

It’s hard to hate this man. He did not have the clout of other top picks. Instead of complaining and whining about it, he put his head down and worked his tail off to earn his stripes in high school, college, and the NBA.

Let’s look at all the Ja Morant shoes through the years on his way to success in the league today.

Ja Morant Shoes: A Full Timeline Show

Ja Morant Shoes: Memphis Grizzlies

Memphis Grizzlies Year Four

It’s hard to believe that the 2022-2023 NBA season is only Ja Morant’s fourth year in the league. After being an MVP candidate the previous year, expectations are even higher. And he’s been delivering so far. The Memphis Grizzlies started the season 7-2 with Ja averaging 28.3 PPG, 6.9 APG, and 5.4 RPG. That’s very similar to his numbers the previous season. The shoes he has been wearing so far are: Nike Kobe 6 Protro, Nike Kyrie 1, Nike Kobe 11, Nike Kobe 9 EM, Nike Kobe 8, and Nike KD 10.

With the new season comes his first signature sneaker: the Nike Ja 1. The upper is built primarily with a breathable mesh with some overlays for aesthetics and stability. Nike hasn’t officially released any information regarding the tech specs, but we’re sure there’s at least a forefoot Zoom Air unit, and the traction look’s super aggressive. Ja first played in them versus the Golden State Warriors on Christmas.

Nike Nike Ja 1 is supposedly “constructed to keep players in control, maximize hang time, and reduce landing force through lockdown benefits.” “Maximize hang time” is a very marketing-driven claim (and ultimately impossible), but the rest of the description hints at the fact that the shoe’s containment features and traction were a main focal point for the design team at Nike. Which makes sense for a player as shifty and explosive as Ja Morant.

Morant describes the Ja 1 as “a shoe for underdogs who have the dawg in them” and as “Kicks for anyone who has ever been underrated or overlooked, who’s been told they’re too small, or their dreams too big.” OK Ja….

Morant also got his own logo, which is featured on the shoe, inspired by his electrifying style of play and determination.

Nike Ja 1

The Nike JA 1 is Ja Morant’s first signature shoe with Nike and it’s crazy how similar these feel to OG Kyrie shoes. After our first brief test of the shoe, the Ja 1 shows a lot of potential. The shoe feels like it could be a great on-court performance model, but there are certain aspects of the shoe that could make the JA 1 a bit of a dud.

The Ja 1 retails for $110, which is reasonable for a signature shoe, at least in this day and age. In terms of cushioning, we have a reactive cushioning setup that combines a Phylon midsole and a smell rectangular zoom unit in the forefoot, very reminiscent of the Kyrie 1. The shoe’s traction is aggressive, and the rubber is relatively durable and tacky which has potential to be the shoe’s best feature. Materials are the shoe’s weakest point, but also, you can’t expect much out of a shoe at this price point.

Nike Kobe 6 Protro

Nike Kyrie 1

Nike Kobe 11

Nike Kobe 8

Nike Kobe 9 EM

Nike KD 10

Memphis Grizzlies Year Three

2021-22 was Ja Morant’s breakout season. Ja went from being considered a good, athletic player the season before becoming a legit MVP candidate and a leader for his Memphis Grizzlies. He was named the NBA’s Most Improved Player and averaged 27.6 PPG, 6.7 APG, and 5.7 RPG this season, but those numbers don’t tell the complete story. If you saw him play, you’d notice his heart and grit. The young, brash Grizzlies mirror his rugged personality.

The Grizzlies clinched the 2nd seed in the Western Conference. Plus, they handed the Oklahoma City Thunder the franchise’s worst loss and the worst loss in the history of the NBA. On December 2, 2021, the Memphis Grizzlies won by 73 points on Oklahoma City’s home court.

Ja Morant’s shoes in 2022 were primarily Kobes, but he wore a bunch of different models as well, including Nike Kobe 6 Protro, Nike KD IV, Nike Kyrie Low 4, Nike Kyrie 1, Nike Kobe 5 Protro, Nike Kobe 8, Nike Kobe 11 Elite, Nike Air Zoom GT Run, Air Jordan 11, Louis Vuitton, and Burberry.