The Ja 3 isn’t leaving the court quietly. For WNBA All-Star Weekend, Nike Basketball is rolling out a collection called White Label, with the Ja 3 LX as its most expensive ticket. It’s white from toe to heel, but this isn’t just any white: the upper has a reptile-like texture that only reveals itself when the light hits it at an angle, while chrome overlays sit on top, poured across the side like liquid metal.
Those chrome shapes were the detail that immediately caught our eye in the newsroom. They taper into sharp points extending from the swoosh, and anyone who’s followed the Ja line knows exactly what they bring to mind. The claw mark is the motif running through this series, from the Ja 1 “Reverse Scratch” via the Ja 2 “Scratch” to the Ja 3 “Year of the Horse”. The difference here is that the scratch isn’t painted on but chromed, as if someone framed the mark.
What’s in the box. At Nike, LX stands for a more luxurious treatment, and here it’s more than a marketing term. The release comes in its own White Label packaging, with a suede lace pouch and a removable bejeweled “W” charm. Inside, there’s a quilted lining, while the heel features silver embroidery. For a shoe that officially costs $150 in the United States, that’s a decent pile of extras—and it’s also why the number of pairs will be limited.
Reptile skin, again. Funny enough, this is already the second major drop this month to lean into skin and scales. The Air Liquid Max did it with a poison dart frog; this Ja 3 does it with a split-leather construction that reads as snakeskin. I’m not going to say anything about that. A scaly monster steering the hype? That just sounds familiar.
Grail or Bail. This is an All-Star drop, so expect limited numbers and a supply that only starts to pick up after release. A Hypescore doesn’t have any market data to work with yet, but your vote still counts: head to the Ja 3 LX “White Label” sneaker page and let us know whether this is a grail or one you’re passing on. The stores will appear there as they come in too. The A’Two “White Label” is also part of the same pack.