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Ja Morant Hair: A Full Guide on His Different Hairstyles

aida turner

Published by Aida Turner

Fact checked by Annie

Key takeaways:

  • A Ja Morant hairstyle is free-form dreads creatively styled in thick braids, kamikaze twists, parted cornrows, locks, shorts, and ponytails.
  • Ja Morant made his hairstyle known to NBA fans as he innovated his dreads from his 2020 season to the present.
  • These styles are for those with oblong-shaped faces and Afro-textured hair characterized by upward curls.
  • It’s easy to create; you only need to wash, dry, section, twist, and moisturize your hair.

JA MORANT – You probably heard this name buzzing around the basketball industry. He’s the 2019 2nd Overall Draft Pick for the Memphis Grizzlies and the 2020 National Basketball Association (NBA) Rookie of the Year.

This 3-year NBA basketball player, born on August 10, 1999, speaks volumes as he prances his offensive basketball plays and series of double-doubles averaging 27.4 points per game for the Eastern Conference in the 76th season of the NBA.

More than the mastery in handling the ball, Temetrius Jamel Morant is also known on the court for adding fun and spice to his dreads.

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Fresh from college in 2019, he sported an Afro hairstyle. From then on, no one has ever stopped the Ja Morant hairstyle from raising the bar for in-game craze; parading braided, twisted, cornrowed, locked, ponytails, and short hairstyles.

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We know how much you admire Ja Morant’s hairstyle when you watch on the browser or from the benches for live games.

With that, we’d love for you to know more about the Ja Morant Hairstyle in this article. Read on!

What is Ja Morant’s hairstyle called?

A Ja Morant hairstyle is composed of different patterns of Afro-textured hair like dreads, braid, twists, cornrows, locks, short, and ponytail.

It started with Morant’s Afro-textured hair; he twisted it and became the very essence that established his so-called free-form dreads with a wide array of hairstyles.

For a quick reference, dreadlocks go way back and are called “jata,” a long-flowing Lord Shiva twist. It represents cultures, political messages, religious connections, and the African Fula and Wolof warriors’ strength.

Moreover, these styles are suited for individuals with medium to thick Afro hair as it can easily be matted.

To cut to the chase, here are the different Ja hairstyles for your convenience:

Ja Morant Dreads

ja morant dreads
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Ja Morant’s rookie hairstyle was shoulder-length dreads. Based on a fan comment in a YouTube video, it’s the best dreads in the current list of NBA players.

Dreads are a hairstyle formed by parting hair into different sections and transforming it into a rope-like appearance through:

  • Backcombing
  • Interlocking method
  • Crochet method

Currently, he has traditional 4B strand dreads that only need consistent hydration to keep them steady and healthy.

It is common in individuals with that natural hair type, like the rapper Lil Wayne who used long dreadlocks.

However, you can easily distinguish Morant’s dreads because of the front coil highlights, which come in different color combinations.

Ja Morant Braids

Ja Morant Braids
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Since this Murray State alumnus has dreads, he surely has good braids to pair with throughout his journey in the league.

Braids on dreads are done swiftly with patterns, such as side-swept, halo, yarn, and Bantu knots, among others.

The braided design for this Memphis team sport player is indeed something that deserves recognition as it suits his Afro-textured strands.

Ja Morant Twists

Ja Morant Twists
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This Memphis Grizzlies star can do the twist, too – not sure about the dance, but he pulled off the two-strand barrell hairstyle in 2020.

Two-strand twists are often used by individuals who have their dreads washed and retwisted or as a starter for dreadlocks.

Aside from this, there are other ways to do the starter hairdo, like the triangle, sponge, and flat twists.

Ja Morant Cornrows

Ja Morant Cornrows
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Cornrows are striking, same with the defensive mastery and personality this NBA player gives on-court.

With his Afro-textured hair, Morant sported the cornrows hairstyle during his first year as an NBA conference player.

He has thick hair, which may explain why Ja’s parted sunbeam cornrow with a taper fade looks slick and neat.

It’s also a great style that kept the Murray State-star-turned-Grizzlies-2nd-drafted-player away from getting lost in translation during team plays.

You can ace this hairstyle by creatively sectioning and braiding hair within a sniffing distance to the scalp.

Ja Morant Locs

Ja Morant Locs
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You may think: Why are Morant’s dreads different from locs?

Dreads and locs are visually similar. Yet, locs are more appropriate to the culture and lean more into the spiritual lifestyle rather than just hairstyle.

In his three-year NBA career, Ja’s locs were firm, which he often interchanged into comb coils, rolls, braid, and two-strand twists.

Ja Morant Short Hair

Ja Morant Short Hair
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During his rookie year, Ja Morant showed off energy, skills, and growth, exuding fresh from the NCAA journey with his short hair.

A short hairstyle, with free-flowing dreads, is his staple that helps him move from point to point without getting his vision distracted by strands.

Also, taking this hairdo into account is easier for him and his stylist to create stylish patterns and maintain them.

Ja Morant Ponytail

Ja Morant Ponytail
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Nothing’s ever certain in this world; even losing bobby pins before the second half of the regular season game against the Minnesota Timberwolves caught the point guard by surprise.

The trending Ja Morant ponytail in 2020 happened because he placed the bobby pins in the wrong spot. He then decided on wrapping his free-form dreads up in a pony.

In his Instagram post, you’ll see a shoulder-length ponytail and a comment with ponytail 12, and a fire emoji.

Who is Ja Morant’s hairstyle suitable for?

Individuals with Afro-textured hair are the most suitable for a Morant hairstyle.

The afro-textured type has an upward growth with curly and coiled strands. The kinkier it becomes, the more manageable the dreadlocks are to play and style with.

In terms of the face type, the medium length and thick coils of Morant’s style are a perfect variety that complements individuals with an oblong head shape.

How to do Ja Morant’s hairstyle?

If you want to try the NBA superstar vibe while playing your favorite sport, here’s a step-by-step guide to achieving Ja Morant’s hairstyle.

  1. Begin by washing hair with Black Earth Shampoo, and rinse it off.
  2. Completely dry and remove dampness with a towel or a hair dryer, like the Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer.
  3. Part it into sections using a Dread Head HQ Comb or your fingers.
  4. Tie your strands using the Arrow Spiral Lock Tie to leave your sections properly separated.
  5. Twist each section in a two-strand manner and apply a Dreadlock Tightening Gel until tightly looped.
  6. Hydrate your hair and scalp daily using the Jamaican Mango & Lime Island Scalp Oil to have a stand-out Ja Morant style.

Former hairstyles of Ja Morant

Before being the Memphis Grizzlies Morant, he was a past Murray State stand-out that led his team into the NCAA with a blowout Afro style.

During those times, Morant was on a mission to play and break barriers (and recruitment rankings) by listing season-high points, rebounds, and impressive assists with his blowout hairdo:

Blowout Afro Hair

Former hairstyles of Ja Morant
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As a young baller, Morant kept his style simple and voluminous, resulting in the blowout hairdo. This is achieved using the following essentials in a salon or inside your room:

  • Hair blower
  • Hair pick
  • Curling lotion

Yet, the ideal and convenient element for you to rock the teenage Ja Morant hairdo is afro-textured hair!

FAQ

Does Ja Morant have hair extensions?

He doesn’t have hair extensions, but his natural dreads were colored with dye.

Did Ja Morant cut his hair?

There isn’t apparent information on his cut schedules. However, in achieving strong dreads like his, you need to let them grow without cutting them for some time.

Are there other NBA players with Ja Morant hair?

There are NBA players who have worn similar dreads to Ja Morant’s, like Heat’s Jimmy Butler and Lakers’ Dwight Howard.

How does Ja Morant maintain his braids?

To maintain his braids, Ja Morant would have to oil his scalp and moisturize his hair regularly and have it re-braided every 2-3 weeks.

Final Thoughts

Replicating an NBA player’s hairstyle like Morant’s, who was aLute Olson Award winner during his NCAA Division I journey, feels electrifying when you’re shooting hoops.

The variations may seem tricky, but it’s worth considering for those with medium to long lengths of Afro-textured hair. You’ll surely be a court standout if you sign onto his fashion sense!

Remember to learn it using the right technique and add a little bit of your personality to create your own version of Ja Morant’s hairstyle.

aida turner

Aida

Founder & Hair Beauty Specialist

I’m Aida and this is my blog where I write mostly about beauty and make up related stuff, but I like to spice it up a bit with lifestyle and photography posts. Or with whatever that comes to my mind. Hope you will enjoy the reading enough that we will ‘see’ each other more often!