Ja Morant may find himself on tenuous footing.
Morant is at the center of another gun-related controversy which has earned him a suspension, and his troubles have also put his standing with sneaker and fashion brand Nike in a precarious position.
Morant's first signature shoe released in April, but is now nowhere to be found on the Nike website. Other retailers, such as Dick's Sporting Goods and reseller websites, have the first iteration of the sneaker available.
MORE: The latest on Ja Morant's pending NBA suspension
Ja Morant Nike shoe release
There is a bit a mixed message, however: The "Ja 1" shoe is scheduled to be released in a new colorway in the next week. As of May 18, the upcoming sneaker is still hosted on Nike's SNKRS app, which is a Nike sale point for exclusive and high-end sneaker releases.
History may be repeating itself when it comes to sneaker deals, and that's not a great thing for Morant. It wasn't long ago when Nike pulled Kyrie Irving's sneakers off its release schedule, amidst another controversy that signaled the beginning of the end of the partnership between the two. Irving's off-the-court controversies led to the sneaker giant opting not to renew his deal following the 2022-23 season.
MORE: Stephen A. Smith, others react to Ja Morant's gun video: 'It's sad'
Morant's sneaker release was delayed by Nike in the aftermath of his March suspension and gun incident, but was released to the public regardless.
Nike has yet to release a statement on Morant's latest troubles, but was supportive of him after the March incident.
Nike statement on Ja Morant: “We appreciate Ja’s accountability and that he is taking the time to get the help he needs. We support his prioritization of his well-being.”
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 5, 2023
"We appreciate Ja’s accountability and that he is taking the time to get the help he needs. We support his prioritization of his well-being," they said (via The Athletic's Shams Charania).
NBA commissioner Adam Silver said he was "shocked" when the new video of Morant waving a gun surfaced over the weekend. Nike may be feeling the same way.
