New team, new era, new shoes. Unquestionably, severing Ja Morant’s ties to Memphis (at least for the moment) is a bitter pill, but as they say, when one door closes, another opens. The 2019 draftee is now hoping to become an icon across the country, and he’ll have new kicks in tow once he does.
Mirroring his on-court journey, the end of the Ja 3 is only blunted by the impending Nike Ja 4, a silhouette with big shoes (no pun intended) to fill as it plots another rock-solid peg in Morant’s lineup. As we look forward to the Ja 4 “Nightmare” introducing the sneaker stateside, we’re getting an early look at a half step before that, as the “Rise” colorway drops off images ahead of what’s reported to be an overseas-only release.
One of five colorways previewed by the man himself, the “Rise” captures a subtle ombré treatment on its diamond-print uppers, bracketed by gilded detailing across the Swoosh and the new JA-Frame containment. In these up-close angles, the emphasis on texture really comes into view, as notches within the Swoosh and continued rough surfaces on the midsole emphasize what’s becoming a key detail in Ja’s later catalog.
As mentioned above, the Nike Ja 4 “Rise” is currently expected to be a China-exclusive drop, landing at the tail end of July. Catch in-action shots below and keep our Sneaker Release Dates page within reach for more updates on the burgeoning silhouette.
