Ja Morant, Nike, Kool-Aid reunited for Ja 3 sneaker collaboration
Nike and Kool-Aid are teaming up with Ja Morant again for a limited release Ja 3 mismatch colorway sneaker.
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. 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. "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.