A collaboration between Nike Basketball and Kool-Aid is continuing for a second consecutive year, further expanding one of the more unusual athlete-brand partnerships in basketball footwear.
The brands are teaming up again with Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant to introduce the Nike x Kool-Aid Ja 3 sneaker.
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This marks the second straight year Morant has been featured in the collaboration after Nike and Kool-Aid released a Ja 2 version last year.
The sneaker draws inspiration from Morant’s childhood memories of drinking his mother’s Kool-Aid.
Mismatched colorways have become a familiar theme throughout Morant’s signature line, and the Ja 3 continues that trend. The pink left shoe represents pink lemonade, while the lemon-yellow right shoe is inspired by lemon-lime flavor.
“The Ja 2 Kool-Aid went crazy, so we already knew we had to run it back for the 3s and take it up another level,” Morant said in a statement. “Obviously, Kool-Aid has been part of my life since I was a kid — that’s family, that’s culture, that’s real memories.
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“And this one hit different ’cause it’s even more personal. When I was talking with Nike about the shoe, my mom came up with the idea to do a Pink Lemonade and Lemon Lime colorway, and it just clicked. So yeah … Ma Dukes spoke on this one. And I hope this shoe means something special for moms and families out there too.”
A Nike x Kool-Aid collaboration that started with the Ja 2 will carryover to the Ja 3 sneaker
The Nike x Kool-Aid Ja 3 will be a limited release beginning May 20 through the SNKRS app and at select retailers nationwide. Fans can go on the app beginning May 13 for additional sign-up details.
Morant was heralded as Nike Basketball’s first Gen Z signature athlete when he debuted the Ja 1 on Christmas Day 2022. He is now on his third signature model, with the Ja 4 set to release this fall.
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The Ja 3 has arguably been Morant’s most successful sneaker because of its wide-ranging popularity for both style and on-court performance. Its visibility across the NBA this season has strengthened Morant’s standing in the competitive signature shoe market.
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.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Ja Morant Ja 3 shoe collaboration features Nike, Kool-Aid again
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