Kool-Aid Man Is Front-and-Center on the Nike Ja 2 “Tropical Punch”

The Memphis Grizzlies might’ve had a short-lived run in the 2024-25 NBA Playoffs, but the Western Conference team will surely take the season as a learning experience for the next campaign. The squad’s star player, Ja Morant, has also learned a couple of things about the sneaker world over the last eight months, and he’s applied them to pairs like his Nike Ja 2 “Tropical Punch” collaboration with Kool-Aid.

Teased over the last year, the unexpected linkup forms part of a two-pair project with the iconic beverage company. A previously-launched version featured mismatched color-blocking between right and left shoes, nodding to the various Kool-Aid flavors produced by the storied institution. A forthcoming Ja 2 indulges in a pink-and-red gradient inspired by the ever-popular Tropical Punch flavor, which features cherries, grapes, oranges, and other fruits.

As with its co-protagonist, the second Nike Basketball offering features broken wall-inspired graphics on the profiles, as to replicate the Kool-Aid Man crashing onto the shoe. Nearby, condensation droplets evoke imagery of refreshing glasses of the drink, while the tops of tongues boast logos of the red-colored anthropomorphic pitcher.

Pairs of the Ja 2 “Tropical Punch” are set to hit Nike.com on Tuesday, July 1. While you wait to secure your size, check out detailed shots of Morant’s collaborative basketball shoe ahead—courtesy of JD Sports.

For more hoops-ready footwear, check out the PUMA MB.04, LaMelo Ball’s fourth signature model with the Big Cat Brand.