Side Kicks Streetwear • Global Release Guide
Updated: 4 May 2026
About the release
Kool-Aid and Nike are back together on the Ja 3. Following the success of the Kool-Aid collaborations on the Ja 2, this 'Pink Lemonade' edition brings the partnership's most elaborate execution yet to Ja Morant's third signature silhouette. The collaboration was first teased by Morant himself on Christmas Eve 2025, via an Instagram Stories post wrapped in pink Kool-Aid graphics and lemon detailing.
The design runs a mismatched construction with a Pink Beam left shoe and a Lemon Venom right shoe, tied together by Deep Royal Blue lining, tongue and midsole. Raised condensation droplets texture the tongues, wave-like accents run through the collar and sole unit, and the Kool-Aid Man appears on the left tongue alongside Ja Morant's logo on the right. Style code IW1159-700.
The 'Pink Lemonade' releases on 15 May 2026 for £125 in both adult and grade school sizing via Nike SNKRS and select retailers.
TL;DR – Kool-Aid x Nike Ja 3 'Pink Lemonade' Release Date, Price & Where to Buy
- Release date: 15 May 2026
- Model: Nike Ja 3
- Colourway: Lemon Venom / Deep Royal Blue / Light Green Spark / Light Photo Blue
- Style code: IW1159-700
- UK retail price: £125
- US retail price: $135
- Sizing: Adult and Grade School
- Where to buy: Nike SNKRS and select retailers
- Key details: Mismatched Pink Beam and Lemon Venom uppers, condensation tongue droplets, wave-like collar and sole accents, Kool-Aid Man and Ja logo branding
Release date and price
The Kool-Aid x Nike Ja 3 'Pink Lemonade' releases on Friday 15 May 2026 via Nike SNKRS and select retailers in adult and grade school sizing.
UK retail is £125 and US retail is $135. The GS version is available alongside the adult run, making this accessible across age groups in a way that fits Kool-Aid's broad audience positioning.
Design and details
The most immediately striking element of the 'Pink Lemonade' is the mismatched upper construction. The left shoe runs in Pink Beam and the right in Lemon Venom, directly referencing the two colours of the Pink Lemonade flavour. Both shoes share a Deep Royal Blue lining, tongue and midsole, mirroring the colour of the Kool-Aid logo and bringing visual cohesion to an intentionally split palette.
The tongues carry raised condensation-like droplet detailing, a tactile element that brings the flavour theme into the physical construction of the shoe rather than stopping at graphics. Wave-like accents crash across the collar and the responsive sole units. The 'A' Ja Morant logo detailing next to the Swooshes on each shoe is executed in solid Hyper Pink and Light Green Spark TPU, sitting separately from the larger repeating logo pattern on the upper.
The branding split is the detail collectors will notice immediately. The Kool-Aid Man takes the left tongue and Ja Morant's personal logo takes the right, giving each shoe a distinct identity within the mismatched pair. It is one of the more considered co-branding executions in recent Nike signature shoe history.
Kool-Aid x Nike Ja 3 'Pink Lemonade' images
Credit: Nike
The Kool-Aid collab angle
Kool-Aid is not a brand you would typically expect on a performance basketball signature shoe, which is exactly what makes this work. The Kool-Aid x Ja Morant partnership started on the Ja 2, where mismatched colourways inspired by Kool-Aid flavours generated strong response across both adult and kids sizing. The 'Pink Lemonade' Ja 3 takes that playbook and pushes it further with the condensation tongue detail and flavour-split mismatched construction.
What the collaboration does well is treat the Kool-Aid brand as a genuine creative partner rather than a logo placement. The design choices — the droplets, the wave sole accents, the split flavour palette — all earn their place in the construction rather than sitting on top of it. Morant teasing the release himself via Christmas packaging rather than an official reveal is in the same spirit: brand storytelling that feels natural to the athlete rather than managed by committee.
Why this release matters
The Ja 3 is one of Nike's stronger performance basketball shoes of the current cycle, and Morant's willingness to take the signature line into unexpected creative territory has expanded its appeal well beyond core basketball consumers. The Kool-Aid collab is a good example of how to do that without it feeling forced.
At £125 it also lands at a price point that keeps the shoe accessible. Grade school sizing alongside the adult run makes this a legitimate option for younger buyers, which fits Kool-Aid's natural audience and gives the collab genuine commercial logic rather than just hype positioning.
Where to buy
The Kool-Aid x Nike Ja 3 'Pink Lemonade' releases on 15 May 2026 via Nike SNKRS and select retailers. Browse all Kool-Aid x Nike releases, the full Nike Ja 3 collection and the latest Nike releases on Side Kicks.
FAQ
When is the Kool-Aid x Nike Ja 3 'Pink Lemonade' release date?
The Kool-Aid x Nike Ja 3 'Pink Lemonade' releases on Friday 15 May 2026 via Nike SNKRS and select retailers.
How much does the Kool-Aid x Nike Ja 3 'Pink Lemonade' cost in the UK?
UK retail price is £125. US retail is $135.
What is the style code for the Kool-Aid x Nike Ja 3 'Pink Lemonade'?
The style code is IW1159-700. The colourway is Lemon Venom / Deep Royal Blue / Light Green Spark / Light Photo Blue.
Why are the two shoes different colours?
The mismatched design is intentional. The left shoe is Pink Beam and the right is Lemon Venom, representing the two colours of the Pink Lemonade flavour. Both shoes share a Deep Royal Blue lining, tongue and midsole to hold the pair together visually.
Is the Kool-Aid x Nike Ja 3 available in kids sizes?
Yes. The 'Pink Lemonade' releases in both adult and grade school sizing through Nike SNKRS and select retailers.
Is this the first Kool-Aid x Ja Morant shoe?
No. Kool-Aid and Ja Morant previously collaborated on the Ja 2, where mismatched flavour-inspired colourways were well received across adult and kids sizing. The 'Pink Lemonade' Ja 3 continues and expands that partnership.
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