This story appears in SLAM KICKS 28.
The Nike World HQ is home to advancements far beyond what the eye can see. More than 75 buildings house the ideas and revolutions that will bear fruit in the near future. A top-secret archival department spanning over seven decades of history remains undisclosed. Highly advanced research labs and testing facilities consume entire floors. And somewhere within the sprawling 400-acre campus in Beaverton, OR, resides the space where Ja Morant devised the focal point of his third Nike signature sneaker.
Pinned to a metal wall with magnets, a beige-colored backdrop served as Ja’s canvas upon which to create. In his gloved hands, a metallic silver can of spray paint. And thanks to the footage he posted to his Instagram story in early July, the sheet also reveals the journey that Twelve took to find the Nike Ja 3’s nucleus.
At the top left of the fabric, a duo of stacked check marks showcased the beginning stages of his attempts. Toward the middle, a larger, more official effort was taken to connect the check. As the video begins, Ja hunches down, rocking a crisp white tee and jet black beanie, and perfects the logo in back-to-back attempts.
“Yeah! Exactly,” a voice shouts off camera.
An idea was born out of the accomplishment. Ja was spraying the black Swooshes at an angle, around 65 degrees if you want to get precise. The graffiti left behind fittingly resembled the letter J, so Ja threw an A next to it. The hallmark of the Nike Ja 3 stood right in front of the two-time All-Star.
Jared ebanks 