There are sneakerheads out there who want Ja Morant to be more like Allen Iverson: connected to the hip-hop culture while growing a brand on and off the court, particularly in the shoe world.
Morant’s status in the sneaker game now is in peril.
Nike removed the latest edition of the Ja 1, the “Hunger” colorway, from its website after the Memphis Grizzlies suspended him May 14 after he was seen on Instagram Live flashing what appeared to be a gun for the second time this year. He signed a multiyear deal with Nike in 2019.
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Negative headlines have been somewhat routine for Morant this spring. We don’t know why Morant is having these issues. But only he can sort that out.
When it comes to his sneakers, can Morant recover as one of the top young American-born stars in the NBA? Can he still be the player who leads the next generation of Nike athletes in shoes and apparel?
Yes, he can — with changed behavior and stellar play.
Morant is one of Nike’s connections to the young hip-hop generation, much like Iverson was for Reebok in the late 1990s. Morant appeals to a demographic that may be too young to relate to Nike’s other signature shoe athletes, such as LeBron James, Paul George, Kevin Durant or even Giannis Antetokounmpo.
That Morant had a signature shoe is a sign of how highly Nike thought of him. After Nike ended its relationship with Kyrie Irving this season, Morant’s shoe made him just the fifth active player with a signature shoe with the company. Now Morant has to get back in Nike’s good graces.
Iverson’s handling of one of his mishaps is a blueprint for Morant. The Hall of Fame guard connected hip-hop and hoops like no other player. Cornrows, tattoos and jewelry — Iverson looked more like he was part of the Roc-A-Fella crew than an NBA All-Star. But that’s why the youth gravitated toward Iverson; he was anti-establishment and a baller on the court who played with grit.
Back in 2000, Iverson wanted to be a rapper and released a single, “40 Bars,” that included references to gunplay and homophobic language. Then-NBA commissioner David Stern wasn’t happy and met with Iverson to discuss his displeasure.
Iverson now calls the song and idea for an album “terrible,” but he was smart enough not to press forward with it, even if people who were with him thought it was a good idea.
“Oh my God, it’s so embarrassing,” Iverson said last year when appearing on Kevin Hart’s “Cold as Balls” show. “It was not a good idea, and it looked so bad. A lot of people tell you what you want to hear (as) opposed to what you need to hear, and I dealt with that.”
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Imagine if Iverson, who was as strong-willed as any player of his generation, decided to put his foot down and push back against Stern. Iverson, like Morant, was a rookie of the year winner and an All-Star at the time his controversy hit. We might not have gotten more versions of Iverson’s shoe. Reebok might have had problems re-releasing “The Answer” shoes. It’s a scenario where the culture Iverson loves ultimately loses if he didn’t get things together. Iverson, however, would bounce back to win MVP for the 2000-01 season before losing to the Lakers in the NBA Finals.
For Morant, there’s time to make amends. Morant’s actions put Nike — which stood by him in March — in a bind. Now you can find his “Hunger” shoes on secondary market sites, such as StockX, but the big push from Nike is nonexistent.
I know the younger generation loves to go live on social media when having a good time. Morant and his buddies probably never need to go live again. It’s already costing him too much. Powerade pulled its Morant ad in March after the first incident. Morant also did not make an All-NBA team after that incident, which cost him $39 million on his contract extension.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver said he was “shocked” to see another gun video with Morant this month. “Shocked” equated to another suspension for Morant.
The irony is a version of the Ja 1 has a “Family Trivia” theme as an ode to Morant family game nights. Now families might distance themselves from him. Longtime journalist Mike Wilbon said on ESPN’s “NBA Countdown” his son isn’t allowed to wear the Ja 1s.
Yes, there are young Jordan Brand hoopers with signature shoes, such as Luka Dončić and Jayson Tatum. But many don’t look at those shoes the same because they have Michael Jordan’s name attached to them.
Nike needs Morant to act right. If he does, maybe we’ll see the Ja 2.
(Photo: Gary A. Vasquez / USA Today)
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