What Is Ja Morant's Hairstyle Called? The Exact Cut, Style, and Barber Secrets
Few visual signatures in professional basketball are as instantly recognizable as the airborne silhouette of Ja Morant. Between gravity-defying drives to the rim and pinpoint passes, the Memphis Grizzlies point guard look commands attention, driven largely by his dynamic, free-flowing hair. Long before he became an All-NBA dynamo, Morant was building his craft on rural courts, as detailed in The Commercial Appeal Report on his Dalzell, South Carolina roots. Over the seasons, his aesthetic evolved alongside his game, transforming from standard starter twists into one of the most requested hairstyles in modern barbershops.
Behind the viral highlights lies a distinct combination of traditional loctician craftsmanship and razor-sharp barber work. The style is not a standard salon cut, nor is it a completely wild mane. It balances deliberate structural shaping around the temples with an organic, unrestrained crown that moves fluidly on the court. Recreating it requires understanding both the exact technical profile of his dreadlocks and the precise clipper work that frames his face.
📌 Key Takeaways:
- The Cut Name: Morant wears semi-freeform locs paired with a low skin taper fade and a defined temple lineup.
- Styling Flexibility: The look shifts between hanging two-tone dreadlocks, protective barrel twists, and tied-back game-day bundles.
- Maintenance Balance: Replicating the style requires 4 to 8 weeks between retwists to preserve thickness at the root while avoiding tension damage.
The Technical Cut: Semi-Freeform Dreadlocks with a Skin Taper Fade
In barbering and natural hair terminology, Ja Morant's hairstyle is technically classified as medium-length semi-freeform taper fade locs. Unlike manicured traditional dreadlocks that feature razor-straight, uniform grid partings, semi-freeform locs allow the roots to lock organically with minimal mechanical manipulation. This gives Morant’s hair its signature thick, textured volume at the base, creating a raw aesthetic that contrasts sharply with his clean hairline.
The perimeter cut is an essential piece of the puzzle. Morant does not wear high top fade dreads, which shave the entire sides and back of the head up to the crown. Instead, his barber carves out a low-to-mid skin taper fade around the sideburns and the nape of the neck, occasionally transitioning into a subtle drop fade undercut. This approach keeps the bulk of the locs hanging down the back and sides, leaving the natural density intact while delivering the crispness of a fresh buzz cut around the edges.
From Murray State to Memphis: Evolution of a Signature Silhouette
Morant’s hair journey mirrors his rise through basketball. During his breakout collegiate seasons at Murray State (2017, 2019), his hair sat in neat, compact two-strand twists and budding starter locs. They stayed close to the scalp, clean, functional, and understated.
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By the time he captured Rookie of the Year honors in 2020 and the Most Improved Player award in 2022, his locs had matured, dropped past his jawline, and taken on distinct weight. During intense off-court periods, including his widely debated 25-game suspension in 2023 covered by outlets like FOX13 Memphis, Morant kept his visual identity grounded in this crown. As his career resumed, his hair grew thicker, seasoned by years of sweat, retwisting cycles, and protective restructuring.
Color Schemes and On-Court Versatility: Bleached Tips and Barrel Twists
A defining element of Morant’s hair is his fearless use of color. He popularized two-tone dreadlocks on the hardwood by lifting the ends of his hair with high-lift lightener while leaving the roots naturally dark. He has rotated through bleached blonde tips, icy platinum, pastel Memphis blue, and hot magenta. The dual-tone colorway accentuates movement, creating a streaking visual effect during fast breaks.
Chemical processing on locs presents substantial structural risks. Bleach strips the internal protein layers of the hair shaft, and locs hold onto product far longer than uncoiled strands. Morant's loctician mitigates this by restricting bleach strictly to the distal ends, shielding the sensitive, load-bearing root base from chemical thinning.
When game day demands absolute vision, Morant turns to functional loc styling techniques. His go-to performance style is barrel twists, thick, cornrow-adjacent rows that compress loose locs tight to the scalp. This aerodynamic setup prevents his hair from whipping his eyes while protecting the loc shafts from sweat-induced frizzing.
| Phase & Era | Primary Cut Profile | Styling Technique | Color Treatment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rookie (2019, 2020) | Early taper fade locs | Free-hanging, natural part | Natural Jet Black (1B) |
| All-Star (2021, 2023) | Low skin taper with freeform base | Two-strand twists, single barrel wraps | Bleached blonde tips, custom blue |
| Current Era (2024, 2026) | Drop fade undercut with mature locs | Dense barrel twists, bun assemblies | Multi-tone blonde, copper, black base |
The Barber Consultation Script: What to Request in the Chair
Walking into a shop and simply asking for "the Ja Morant cut" often leads to disappointment. Barbers and locticians manage different halves of this style, and miscommunication can leave you with an overly aggressive high-top fade or damaged roots.
Bring high-resolution photo references showing the front hairline, the side profile, and the back taper. Separate the conversation into two distinct phases: the hair structure and the perimeter fade.
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Before committing, assess whether this cut fits your hair texture and routine:
- Works best on type 4A, 4B, and 4C hair textures with moderate to high density. Great for athletes looking for protective hair solutions that withstand daily sweat and washing.
- Steer clear if you have significant frontal thinning or receding temples. The weight of hanging locs can accelerate traction alopecia. It is also unsuitable for those who want a low-effort wash-and-go cut without multi-month dedication.
Hair Retwist and Maintenance: Keeping Roots Healthy Without Thinning
The biggest hazard for Morant-inspired hair is over-manipulation. Fans see him on television every week looking immaculate and assume he gets his hair twisted before every shootaround. Doing so would snap locs at the scalp within six months.
A proper hair retwist and maintenance routine prioritizes root density over perfection:
- Retwist Intervals: Schedule root sessions every 6 to 8 weeks. Avoid retwisting every fortnight. The semi-freeform aesthetic thrives on 1 to 2 inches of natural, un-twisted new growth at the root base.
- Moisture and Cleansing: Sweat contains salt crystals that dry out loc interiors, causing brittleness. Cleanse with a clarifying, residue-free shampoo every 7 to 10 days. Hydrate daily with rosewater and light aloe mist rather than heavy petro-chemical waxes, which attract lint and cause loc rot.
- Fade Touch-ups: You can clean up the skin taper fade and temple lineup every 2 to 3 weeks without touching the dreadlocks. Tell your barber to clip back your locs carefully with non-snagging duckbill clamps to prevent accidental trimmer snags on the dread roots.
- Night Care: Never sleep on raw cotton pillowcases. Tie long locs back with an oversized silk dread bonnet or a satin durag to minimize surface friction and maintain moisture balance.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1: How long does your hair need to be to start Ja Morant's hairstyle?
A1: You need at least 3 to 4 inches of natural hair to begin starter locs using the comb coil or two-strand twist starter locs method. To achieve his current hanging length past the jawline, expect an active growing process of 2 to 3 years.
Q2: What is the estimated cost of getting and maintaining this cut?
A2: Starter loc installation ranges from $150 to $300 depending on location and hair length. Routine retwists typically run between $80 and $150 per session, while bi-weekly taper fade maintenance adds $30 to $50 per visit.
Q3: Did Ja Morant start his hair with freeform or traditional parts?
A3: Morant started with structured, manicured twists in college before transitioning into a semi-freeform system. His roots naturally mesh together at the scalp, giving his dreads their substantial, organic base.
Q4: Can you get this hairstyle if you have straight or wavy hair?
A4: While straight or wavy hair can be locked using the crochet hook method, it will not achieve the authentic semi-freeform volume, matte finish, or root density seen on Morant without extensive backcombing and ongoing structural repair.
The Evolution of NBA Aesthetics
Ja Morant’s hair represents a wider shift in athletic style and grooming culture. For decades, basketball culture swung between the sculpted low cuts of the 1990s and the manicured cornrows popularized by Allen Iverson at the turn of the century. Morant’s style reflects a synthesis: the clean edges of modern barbershop culture merged with the expressive freedom of natural hair.
Mastering this look requires patience and disciplined care. Growing semi-freeform locs is an investment of months and years, not a single Saturday afternoon in a chair. By letting your hair mature naturally at the root while keeping your taper fade immaculate, you capture the athletic edge and personal style that defines the Memphis superstar.
