Kicks

Nike and Ja Morant Could Have the Best Back-to-School Shoe of 2025

Ja Morant's third signature sneaker launches just before the new school year; it could reshape a generation.
Pat Benson|
Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant wears the Nike Ja 3.
Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant wears the Nike Ja 3. | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

In this story:

Memphis Grizzlies

Monoculture is a thing of the past, but there are still moments where society can gather around a popular idea. While we have given up waiting on a song of the summer in 2025, it is not too late for a definitive best back-to-school shoe this year.

Earlier this spring, Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant debuted his third signature Nike basketball shoe during the NBA Playoffs. The Nike Ja 3 "Max Volume" was so exciting that Morant had to tease it on social media the night before.

The bold "scratch" design (nodding to Morant's first two signature sneakers) and downward Swoosh logo make it the freshest silhouette Nike Basketball has produced in a long time. The exciting design makes the $130 price tag more palatable for shoppers.

The Nike Ja 3 is going to launch in three colorways to wrap up the summer: Neon Yellow (July 22), Max Volume (August 15), and Hustle & Flow (September 5).

Nike could play the launch one of two ways: a limited launch to build hype (like the launch of Devin Booker and A'ja Wilson's debut hoop shoes) or a wide release and make it easily available for everyone.

Anything other than a massive release would be a strategic miscalculation. Morant has a loyal legion of young fans who will soon go back-to-school shopping for a fresh pair of kicks. They should be met with a massive supply.

The Nike Ja 3 has the rare opportunity to not only be a modern performance basketball shoe cool enough to wear casually (an extreme rarity) but generate a cultural moment where young sports fans show up to the first day of school in the highly anticipated model.

Make no mistake, Nike will eventually flood the zone with colorways, most of which will be popular. However, prices will get discounted as the hype dies down as time goes down.

Nike cannot afford to run back the same playbook of artificial scarcity, which only frustrates loyal sneakerheads. It must capitalize on this fleeting breakthrough moment.

Later this month, Morant will kick off his first-ever global tour to promote the Nike Ja 3. Everything is coming together for Nike and Morant to take over schools and define an era, much like adidas and Yeezy did during the last decade.

The sneaker community will soon find out Nike's plan. Stay locked into Sports Illustrated's Kicks On SI for all your footwear news from the NBA and beyond.

More Nike Sneakers News

Deion Sanders paid tribute to his mother in an emotional Nike video.

LeBron James hit the golf course in $170 Nike golf shoes.

The Nike LeBron 21 "Prime 93" drops this month.

Kevin Durant's latest Nike sneakers are already 34% off.

The Nike Book 2 leaks online before its release date.

Published | Modified
Pat Benson
PAT BENSON

Pat Benson covers the sneaker industry for Kicks On Sports Illustrated. As a leading voice in footwear journalism, he breaks news, spotlights important stories, and interviews the biggest names in sports. Previously, Pat has reported on the NBA and authored "Kobe Bryant's Sneaker History (1996-2020)." You can email him at 1989patbenson@gmail.com.

Share on XFollow Pat_Benson_Jr
Home/News