The Nike Ja 3 "Murray State" Tips Off March Madness In Style

Nike and Ja Morant are celebrating March Madness with a tribute to the Murray State Racers.

The Nike Ja 3 "Murray State" colorway. | Nike

We are entering the last weekend of February, which means the calendar will flip another page and March Madness will be here. Bubbles burst, brackets bust, nets come down, and college basketball teams become legendary.

Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant has been there and done that already. However, he still shows love to his alma mater. With the best time of the year almost here, the Nike Ja 3 is releasing in a highly anticipated "Murray State" colorway.

Release Information

The Nike Ja 3 "Murray State" colorway. | Nike

The Nike Ja 3 "Murray State" colorway will be released at 10:00 a.m. EST on Thursday, March 5. Online shoppers can buy the performance basketball shoes at Nike, Foot Locker, Champs Sports, and other select retailers.

The hoop shoes will be available in Adult ($125) and Big Kid ($102) sizing. Fans who want to skip the line can find the sneakers available now on trusted sneaker resale websites like StockX and GOAT.

Design Details

The Nike Ja 3 "Murray State" colorway. | Nike

The "Murray State" colorway sports a white upper with Deep Royal Blue and Lightning overlays that wrap around the shoe in a gradient pattern. The Nike Swoosh logo pops off the sides in Lightning with Dusty Cactus outlining.

Meanwhile, the Nike Ja logo on the tongues appears in Pure Platinum. Further branding includes "Twelve" in Dusty Cactus. The mismatched outsoles help complete the festive college vibe. Even better, the shoes come with Pure Platinum laces and Dusty Cactus laces for further personalization.

Tech Specs

The Nike Ja 3 "Murray State" colorway. | Nike

Tech specs for the Nike Ja 3 include a full-length Hybrid ZoomX foam complemented by a foam sockliner, a traction pattern featuring all-over mini Ja logos, plus padded collars that add extra cushioning. Lastly, the mesh breathable upper makes the perfect canvas to tell Morant's story.

Morant said of the traction pattern, "With this grip, I can break defenders off any time I want." Overall, Morant described his latest shoe as freeing. "The Ja 3? It's freedom. More bounce, more energy, more movement."

Why It Matters

The Nike Ja 3 "Murray State" colorway. | Nike

The Nike Ja 3 has been a smash hit. Morant debuted the shoe last year in the NBA Playoffs, and everyone knew the model was going to be popular. Morant took it on his first Nike World Tour and has debuted countless colorways.

The only downsides are some shortcomings in the design, and Morant has dealt with one of the worst seasons of his NBA career. Yet, nothing seems capable of slowing down on the Nike Ja 3.

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