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.
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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 Five
Ja only played 9 games during the 2023/24 season, so there really wasn’t anything worth highlighting regarding his on-court performance. However, on January 26th 2024, Nike finally released his second signature basketball shoe, the Nike Ja 2.
Nike JA 2
The Nike Ja 2 is a solid performer on the court, excelling in traction and providing decent support and cushioning. On the other hand, it doesn’t push the envelope at all in terms of design or innovation, and its use of cheap materials is a notable drawback, especially for those expecting premium quality from a signature Nike shoe. Read the full review. Price: $120
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.
Nike Kobe 6 Protro
The shoe Ja wore the most on the court, by far, was the Nike Kobe 6 Protro. This is the improved reincarnation of one of the most iconic sneakers in basketball history. It still featured the OG snakeskin scales, Nike Torch tongue, and an insole that forms to your feet. The protro treatment comes in the midsole, where Nike replaced Phylon for Cushlon and put a Zoom Turbo unit in the forefoot. The Kobe 6 Protro offers top-tier performance on par with current basketball shoes.
Nike KD IV
Nike Kyrie Low 4
Nike Kyrie 1
Nike Kobe 5 Protro
Nike Kobe 8
Nike Kobe 9 Elite
Nike Air Zoom GT Run
Air Jordan 11
Memphis Grizzlies Year Two
Ja Morant had a good 2020-2021 NBA season. He played 56 games where he averaged 19.1 PPG, 4.0 RPG, and 7.4 APG. It felt like a natural progression from his rookie season, and we witnessed it first-hand. Within the season, he also had one (1) triple-double and two (2) forty-point games, including the first of his career. Ja was starting to be respected and well-known as an offensive threat in the league.
However, what I think is the best achievement is that he led the Grizzlies back to the playoffs for the first time since 2017. And this was just his second year. They won game one but then lost four straight to the Utah Jazz, even after Ja dropped 40 points in game 2.
Ja wore the following shoes throughout that season: Nike Kobe 9 Elite, Nike Kobe 1 Protro, Nike Kobe 4 Protro, Nike Kobe 5 Protro, Nike Kobe 6 Protro, Nike Kobe 8, Nike Kobe 9 Low, Nike Kobe 9 EM, Nike Kobe 10 Elite, Nike Kobe 10, Nike Kobe 11 Elite, Nike Kobe AD, Nike Kyrie 4, Nike KD IV, Nike KD VI, Nike Adapt BB 1.0.
Nike Kobe 9 Elite
Of all those Ja Morant shoes, the one he wore the most was the Nike Kobe 9 Elite. This shoe features a drop-in midsole which allows its wearer to customize the cushion. If you want full-length Zoom, you can opt for that. If you prefer a combination of foam, Lunarlon, and Zoom Air, you can also stick with that setup. And it features arguably the best traction of all time! The elite version differs from the others with the exaggerated collar height that refers to Kobe’s Achilles injury.
Nike Kobe 1 Protro
Nike Kobe 4 Protro
Nike Kobe 5 Protro
Nike Kobe 6 Protro
Nike Kobe 8
Nike Kobe 9 Low, Nike Kobe 9 EM
Nike Kobe 10
Nike Kobe 11 Elite
Nike Kobe AD
Nike Kyrie 4
Nike KD IV
Nike KD VI
Nike Adapt BB 1.0
Memphis Grizzlies Year One
Ja Morant spent his rookie year under the shadow of Zion Williamson. The two rookies were great, but Zion’s Jordan Brand deal and his otherworldly blend of explosiveness and strength afforded him more publicity. But it didn’t seem to affect Ja as he went on to average 17.8 PPG, 3.9 RPG, and 7.3 APG on his way to winning the Rookie of the Year award. He also gave us two triple-doubles – the first game against Washington and the second against the mighty Milwaukee Bucks.
The Memphis Grizzlies were allowed to be in the NBA Bubble and contend for a playoff spot but came up short despite their best efforts. They finished with 34-39 and in the 9th spot in the Western Conference.
During the 2019-2020 NBA Season, Ja Morant wore these shoes on the court: Nike Kyrie 6, Nike Kyrie 5, Nike Kyrie 4, Nike Kyrie Low 2, Nike Kobe 4 Protro, Nike Kobe 5 Protro, Nike KD IV, Nike KD 12, Nike KD 13, Nike PG 2, Nike PG 4, Nike Zoom Freak 1, Nike Adapt BB 1.0, Nike Adapt BB 2.0, Air Jordan 1.
Nike Kyrie 6
The Nike Kyrie 6 is one of Chris’ favorite Nike Kyrie models, if not his all-time favorite. The shoe improved on the previous Kyrie 5 in that it still felt very agile and low to the ground, but we finally got some forefoot cushion. And Nike chose to break out their then-new Zoom Turbo unit, which covered the whole forefoot area. It was springy and protected well against impact.
Nike Kyrie 5
Nike Kyrie 4
Nike Kyrie Low 2
Nike Kobe 4 Protro
Nike Kobe 5 Protro
Nike KD IV
Nike KD 12
Nike KD 13
Nike PG 2
Nike PG 4
Nike Zoom Freak 1
Nike Adapt BB 1.0
Nike Adapt BB 2.0
Air Jordan 1
Ja Morant Shoes: Murray State University
Murray State University Year Two
Ja Morant was an absolute beast in his second year in college. At this point, there was no doubt that he would make the jump to the NBA soon. During the 2018-2019 college season, he averaged 24.5 PPG, 5.7 RPG, and 10.0 APG, including a classic performance versus Marquette in the NCAA Tournament with a rare college triple-double. Ja was ballin’ this season.
There were two leading Ja Morant shoes during this season: the Nike Kyrie 4 and Nike KD 11.
The Nike Kyrie 4 reintroduced Cushlon to Nike’s basketball lineup. Although there was a heel Zoom Air unit, the foam took the spotlight. Up to this point, Kyrie Irving’s shoes were known for being too low to the ground. These took a different approach, and we’re all happy the brand decided to do so.
Nike Kyrie 4
Nike KD 11
Murray State University Year One
Ja Morant had an immediate impact on Murray State in his first year with averages of 12.7 PPG, 6.5 RPG, and 6.3 APG. They didn’t achieve much as a team, but Ja put everyone on notice, and the future seemed bright for both him and Murray State. They ranked 1st in the Ohio Valley Conference in the 2017-2018 Season with a 26-6 record.
Nike Hyperdunk 2017
Ja Morant’s shoes for the season were the Nike Hyperdunk 2017. The shoe featured Nike’s React foam, which we all thought would be the adidas Boost killer. Unfortunately, it was disappointing as the feeling was more brick-like than anything. No Zoom Air here either.
That covers the complete timeline of Ja Morant’s shoes over the years. Don’t forget to check this out every so often, as we will update this as his career progresses. Let us know what you think. Did we leave anything out? Is there another shoe that you’d put on the list?
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