Basketball is a massive part of the culture that drives the US$85 billion (AU$127 billion) global sneaker market. Despite this, getting your own signature shoe in the NBA is extremely rare. Only 22 guys in the world currently hit the court in sneakers named after them. And that list is reportedly set to add Ja Morant next year following Nike’s recent split with Kyrie Irving.
Kyrie Irving and Nike have apparently decided to part ways before his contract was scheduled to expire next year. Kyrie had one of the most popular basketball sneaker lines of all time but cracks in the business relationship with Nike have been showing for some time now.
Irving first accused Nike of excluding him from the design of the Kyrie 8, which was later rebranded the Nike Kyrie Infinity; the Brooklyn Nets talent also didn’t play for most of the 2021-2022 NBA season. ESPN originally reported that Nike was unlikely to extend Irving’s signature deal after the 2022-23 season, but following his recent controversies, the company have instead decided to tear up their contract and remove any new merchandise from their sales floors.
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Essentially, Nike’s golden goose has just become a sneaker free agent. But it hasn’t taken them long to find a worthy successor. Terminating their partnership with Kyrie has only accelerated the development of the upcoming Ja Morant signature shoe. Morant is set to join the likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Paul George as their fifth athlete with signature kicks.
We’ve had a lot of nice things to say about the Memphis Grizzlies point guard in the past. At 23 years old, his resume already includes NBA All-Star (2022), All-NBA Second Team (2022), NBA Most Improved Player (2022), NBA Rookie of the Year (2020), and NBA All-Rookie First Team (2020). He’s a bona fide superstar in the making.
Ja Morant is exactly the sort of athlete you can market a signature shoe with. Players like Giannis and LeBron wear shoes built with sustaining the sheer force of their freakish athleticism in mind. Deep down, we know that what they are is wholly unattainable and wearing shoes that feel like bricks taped to the soles of your feet isn’t fooling anyone.
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This is actually what made the Kyries so successful. His crafty and audacious style, mixed with his more human proportions, led to some pretty fantastic shoes. Fun fact: Morant actually wears a lot of Kyrie sneakers, along with a collection of Kobes and KDs. At 6’2 (2.01m) and 174lbs (79kg), Morant has a certain flare and playing style that should make the Nike Ja 1 an instant success. Although the number of cornballs we expect to “griddy” in these shoes is an uncomfortable thought and a cruel thing for Nike to inflict on the world.
While we don’t have any design specs or official images of the first signature shoe from Ja Morant, we do know a few things about it. According to Sole Retriever, the Nike Ja 1 will launch with colourways: “Phantom,” “Cobalt Bliss,” and “Game Royal.” It’s expected to cost US$110 (AU$164) and drop before next season.
Over at Jordan Brand, 24-year-old Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum is similarly said to be getting a signature sneaker around the same time. Make no mistake — a new era of the NBA is upon us and the sneaker world is about to reflect that.
