Nike's Sleeper Hit Basketball Shoe Goes Luxe Beast Mode
Earlier this year, Nike unveiled its Black Label collection, which included a few beloved basketball shoes with serious premium upgrades and all-black color schemes. Amongst the lineup, Nike debuted a new blinged-out Ja 2, transforming Ja Morant's signature shoe into a quiet luxury beast. Literally.
The Black Label's Ja 2 sneakers come with these claw marks featuring shimmering Swarovski crystals. The shoe also boasts crystalized Swooshes and an embellished version of Morant's signature logo.
Nike and Swarovski continue to maintain a tight relationship, having just designed some flashy Air Max Plus sneakers earlier this year. The Black Label collection also features another Swarovski x Nike Ja 2 sneaker, a $550 pair bathed almost entirely in the Austrian label's diamond-like crystals.
The Ja 2 Scratch sneakers, on the other hand, are much more subtle with their crystal details — cheaper, too (it's retailing for $250).
Elsewhere on the upper, the Ja 2s offer a combination of blacked-out mesh and super smooth suede, maintaining the collection's all-black theme with lowkey luxe textures.
As ready as they may seem for hooping, Nike states that its Swarosvki'd Ja 2 sneakers are not "intended for use as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)." Translation: you could lose some crystals if you take these literal gems to the court. Although, Morant didn't seem to have any issues when he wore them during a game. Caution is advised, though.
Basketball shoes are in a good place right now, design-wise. Modern signature shoes and in-line models look more like wearable art pieces than performance shoes. But don't let the stylish looks fool you — these sneakers still feature some of the most advanced tech to keep athletes and fans alike on their A-game.
The rest of Nike's Black Label collection includes signature shoes like Devin Booker's Book 1 and Sabrina Ionescu's Sabrina 2. There's also a pair of croc LeBron 22s, perhaps the most luxurious the model's ever looked.
But for those in the market for the Swarovski Nike Ja 2 Scratch, they're now available on Nike's website.
