Ja Morant and his Memphis Grizzlies squad are currently on a six-game winning streak. And while the achievement hasn't been solely due to the shoes (shoutout Mars Blackmon), they sure help.
Morant kicked off the year by previewing some unreleased styles of his Nike Ja 2. In addition to sharing pictures of a 'Let Me Be Ja' pair to Instagram Stories, the guard also previewed his signature sneaker covered in giraffe spots. On Saturday, in a game against the Utah Jazz, Morant laced up the second pair, playfully dubbed the Ja-Raffe Nikes.
Although the makeover draws attention just like Morant's game, it's inspired by a story much closer to the Grizzlies superstar. His daughter has been a big fan of the tall animal for years, often wearing the print as she's out-and-about. A few years ago, a giraffe at the Memphis Zoo was named 'Ja' in honor of Morant. The NBA player visited the animal while it was still in Memphis, but the giraffe has since been relocated to the Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake City.
Morant's on-foot debut of the Ja-Raffe 2s were a cheeky nod to the move. And while he only scored 11 points during the fixture against the Jazz, he helped his team beat the hometown team by 22 points.
It's unlikely the South Carolina-native and his Swoosh family will release the giraffe-inspired Nike JA 2 at some point, but stranger things have happened in the world of sneakers. In any case, enjoy NBA commentators gushing over the story-driven Player-Exclusive (PE) pair ahead.
For more from the Swoosh empire, check out the latest Nike Dunk Lows.
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