NBA star Ja Morant‘s latest shoe, the Nike Ja 1 “Hunger,” dropped today at 10 a.m. ET on SNKRS app, retailing for $110. Minutes later, the colorway was sold out.
The Nike Ja 1 “Hunger” style features a striking bright blue and red, the hues alternating on each pair. The basketball sneaker also includes sleek lace-up closures, breathable and flexible mesh uppers and black swoosh detailing.
The inspiration cited in creating the shoe was Morant’s upbringing in South Carolina. The contrasting red and blue colorway, Nike said in the product description, is representative of the athlete’s “endless determination and stroke of luck that, combined, led to Ja’s big break.”
The Nike Ja 1 “Hunger” is already being resold on sites such as StockX and Goat for as much as $781 or more.
The fast sellout was achieved amidst Morant’s recent controversies surrounding gun violence.
This month, the Memphis Grizzlies star was seen on Instagram Live holding what appeared to be a gun. After the incident, the Grizzlies announced they suspended Morant from all team activities pending league review. This was the second gun-related incident involving Morant this year.
The situation prompted speculation that Nike would distance itself from Morant. Nike had pre-planned this sneaker drop well prior to the basketball player’s controversy.
Morant signed a multi-year deal with Nike in 2019. He was suspended from all Grizzlies activities following the Instagram Live.
About the Author:
Amina Ayoud is an Assistant Digital Editor for Footwear News, where she writes stories about everything from celebrity style to breaking fashion and shoe releases. Ayoud cultivated a love of all things fashion early in life thanks to a deep love of fashion history and the luxury industry. In her free time, Ayoud is a self-proclaimed fashion nerd and thriftaholic.
