January 4, 2026
Ja Morant And His Mother Step In To Outfit Mississippi Valley State Women’s Basketball Team
The Morants provided players with multiple colorways of the Nike Ja 3, Morant’s latest signature shoe, along with brand-new all-white jerseys.
Mississippi Valley State University’s women’s basketball program received a significant show of support this week as NBA star Ja Morant and his mother, Jamie Morant, stepped in to sponsor the Devilettes, supplying the team with exclusive footwear and new game uniforms, according to the News Observer.
The Morants provided players with multiple colorways of the Nike Ja 3, Morant’s latest signature shoe, along with brand-new all-white jerseys. For a program operating under some of the toughest financial conditions in Division I athletics, the donation represents more than a cosmetic upgrade.
Mississippi Valley State acknowledged the gift publicly, thanking the Morant family for their “continued investment” in the program. Photos shared online showed players wearing a range of player-exclusive sneakers, including green-and-white pairs matching school colors and a bright pink option that highlighted the personalized nature of the donation.
While Ja Morant rose to national prominence at Murray State before becoming one of the NBA’s most dynamic guards, his family’s connection to historically Black colleges and universities runs deep. That relationship includes his father, Tee Morant, who played college basketball at Claflin University, and his younger sister, Teniya Morant, who committed to Mississippi Valley State in 2023.
Although Teniya later entered the transfer portal and is now listed on Ranger College’s 2025–26 roster, the family’s involvement with Valley has not wavered. Their continued presence underscores a broader commitment to HBCU athletics, even as individual players move on.
Mississippi Valley State operates with one of the smallest athletic budgets in the NCAA, relying heavily on so-called “buy games” to fund its programs. While the women’s basketball team has managed to break even financially, it still faces limited access to resources commonly available at other Division I schools.
Within that context, the Morants’ contribution carries added importance. New uniforms and exclusive shoes can boost morale, visibility and confidence for athletes competing under challenging circumstances. As the article notes, such support reinforces the belief that these programs are “worth investing in.”
This is not the first time Ja Morant has aligned himself with Mississippi Valley State. In 2023, the Devilettes became one of only four college programs to receive an unreleased colorway of his Nike Ja 1. With the arrival of the Ja 3, the partnership has continued to grow.
For Mississippi Valley State’s women’s basketball team, the gesture serves as both material support and a statement of belief — a reminder that even programs outside the national spotlight matter.
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