and1 mixtape tour toronto

AND1 turns 30: ‘Trash Talk’ tees, mixtape tours and NBA players wearing its shoe

It’s been about 15 years since Duke Tango, the legendary voice of the AND1 Mixtape Tour, last brought streetball fans his one-of-a-kind, on-court, in-game commentary. Countless “Ay, yo!” remarks after a nice move. The classic “Oh, baby!” response after a big play.

AND1 made braggadocious talk, showmanship and sublime ballhandling mainstream. With the company’s officially celebrating its 30th anniversary Sunday, Tango (born Thomas Mills) is excited for the people who made his time on the tour special.

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“The fans, the fans,” Tango said. “Giving the fans what they want. Making them come to the arena, making them leave happy — or you come in happy, you leave happier.”

AND1 as a global product, on and off the basketball court, did more than make fans happy. It made an impact on the sport that is still felt by many. It made wearing “Trash Talk” T-shirts fashionable. It challenged basketball shoe powers like Nike, Adidas and even Reebok and Fila. It made streetball legends famous internationally. It also brought flashy on-court play to a new audience in the 1990s and normalized it for modern-day audiences.

AND1 brought back its famous open runs last month as part of its 30th-anniversary celebration. The company also is using its “Paint the Park” initiative to upgrade courts around the country.

Thirty years of existence is something Dexter Gordon doesn’t take for granted. Gordon, the brand director for Galaxy Universal, the parent company for AND1, has worked with AND1 for more than a decade and believes the influence of the company cannot be understated, as the culture became part of the basketball world beyond AND1 tours. The style and swagger infiltrated the NBA game.

“I always say AND1 and those mixtape players should be in the basketball Hall of Fame,” Gordon said. “They changed the culture, from everything with how they dressed, how they played the game, the mixtapes, the (tour) bus, the trash-talk tees. The brand and those mixtape players change the culture, and they should be included in the hall of fame, period.”

AND1’s story stems from Seth Berger, Jay Coen Gilbert and Tom Austin, three University of Pennsylvania graduate students who designed T-shirts that included slogans heard in pickup basketball games. The shirts appropriately were marketed as “Trash Talk” tees.

“What made them popular was they were synonymous of what was going on at the time: a lot of playground ball, a lot of trash talking, a lot of players trying to not only hone their skills but solidify their name and their game in selected parks and cities,” said Rafer Alston, known to AND1 and the streetball world as “Skip To My Lou,” before, during and even after an 11-year career in the NBA . “It was the perfect storm at the right time. It was what we were all thinking about saying or doing at the time.”

Y’all don’t know how 🔥 these and1 shirts were in the early 2000’s😂 pic.twitter.com/rX3maUemTs — Hoop Fiends 🏀💉 (@hoopfiends) March 21, 2021

Among the multiple shirt slogans:

• “I’m sorry. I thought you could play.”
• “What’s wrong? Momma forget to pack your game?”
• “Pass. Save yourself the embarrassment.”
• “I’m the bus driver. I take everyone to school.”

“Growing up in New York City playing streetball and basketball, trash talking was part of the game. That could really throw you off your game,” said AND1 Mixtape Tour star Shane Woney, better known as “Shane the Dribbling Machine” because of the way he handled the basketball and frustrated defenders. “You shoot an airball, somebody might just start yelling at you, and everybody’s laughing — and these were the OGs, these weren’t even the younger guys. I mean, former pros and guys like that.

“I don’t remember all of the (T-shirt) sayings, but some of my favorites were super disrespectful.”

The shirts, featuring the logo of a muscular, faceless, shirtless player wearing baller shorts, were marketed everywhere in 1993, but it was the streetball scene where sporting them made the most sense. Three years later, AND1 added to its apparel movement by designing and launching its first pair of shoes.

Stephon Marbury, then with the Minnesota Timberwolves , was the brand’s first NBA ambassador and first wore the shoe in the league.

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by oNLy CooL SHoeS (@sneakersrules)

From there, AND1 took off. The NBA and streetball cultures meshed.

“Back in the day, 40 percent of the NBA used to wear AND1, and they were all not signed. They just wanted to be part of that movement,” Gordon said. “I mean, you had guys getting AND1 tattoos . It just meant something to them.”

In 1998, AND1 received a grainy, low-quality video — a mixtape featuring a young, talented point guard who made exciting move after move. He almost pranced when he orchestrated a fast break. It was streetball at its finest.

The ballhandler’s name: Rafer Alston. He earned the “Skip To My Lou” nickname from Tango while playing on the streetball courts. That videotape would soon be known as the “Skip tape.” AND1 edited and reprinted 50,000 copies in 1999, and it became the company’s first basketball mixtape .

“I didn’t have any idea about the direction the tape was going and how it would capture the hearts and minds of everyone,” Alston said. “Everything was happening so fast. We were ascending into rock-star status. We were just going about our business, going to different cities, putting on these shows and giving the fans a time to remember.

“But it all started from the first tape, and to this day, people still have a love affair for that tape.”

The AND1 mixtapes became a cultural phenomenon in the early 2000s. Mixtapes in the earlier distribution days were given as a gift to those who purchase AND1 products. Roughly 200,000 of the Skip tapes were distributed in three weeks.

Magic Johnson is one of the greatest and flashiest passers of all time, but he was often viewed as a showman in the 1980s, someone who made a pass pretty when it didn’t have to be. Moves and actions from the mixtapes of the 2000s, however, began finding their natural places in the NBA. Allen Iverson’s crossover dribbles. Jason “White Chocolate” Williams’ handles and incredible passes. Kevin Garnett’s dunks and bravado. What was seen in streetball became commonplace in the world’s most respected professional basketball league.

Woney said it was a weird feeling at first — almost like “more of a scam” — to have so many people watching the tapes, considering they were professional basketball players at the time. But once business picked up, streetballers were being eyeballed similarly to movie stars. More importantly, NBA players were taking notice.

“Most of them were passionate because they come from where we come from,” Woney said of the NBA players. “Where they played, it was totally structured, but to see guys out there playing totally free, it was almost as if we were saying what they couldn’t say.”

Lisa Schein is the senior vice president of brand development and marketing for Galaxy Universal. Though she has several reasons to love the brand, her all-time favorite AND1 memory came in 2000.

It involved a dunk contest in Oakland, Calif., and an incredible leaper wearing red and white AND1 Tai Chi shoes.

“For me, and it was personal, it was the Vince Carter slam dunk contest,” Schein said.

Carter’s performance was one of the greatest — if not the greatest — in NBA slam dunk contest history . His first dunk was a 360 windmill. The second was a windmill in which he started behind the backboard. The third was a between-the-legs special off a bounce from teammate and cousin Tracy McGrady.

The fourth dunk mesmerized the Oakland crowd, as Carter put his entire forearm in the rim. His fifth and final dunk was a safer one compared with the others — a two-handed jam from just inside the free-throw line.

Carter’s footwear made that night even sweeter. As someone getting out of a Puma deal, Carter, just before signing a new deal with Nike, tried a few new shoes for comfort . He chose to wear the AND1 Tai Chi for the dunk contest.

“I was aware of the brand in its earlier times, but that dunk contest … it was out of nowhere, so iconic, so unexpected,” Schein said. “It catapulted the brand and the product into the Hall of Fame product we think it should be. It really cemented our history.”

Until 2008, the AND1 Mixtape Tour was a streetball mainstay. Some of the greatest nicknames ever said on a mic by Tango — “Hot Sauce,” “The Professor,” “Main Event,” “Escalade,” “50,” “Half Man, Half Amazing” and many others — became household names as they toured cities that started in the United States but branched out to more than 30 countries.

Tango was one of the trendsetters for streetball in-game emcees. Many tournaments in and around New York City now have local celebrities attempting to give Tango-like energy for their audiences.

But very few could introduce a player — and keep that player relevant — like Tango.

“The nicknames he gave us were important to the success of all of us,” Alston said. “Who would have ever thought that Duke gave us a nickname and it would be with us the rest of our lives?

“Some of us became legendary guys because of our nicknames. I remember going to the park, and before you even got to the park, you can hear him on the microphone down the block. You just knew it was a special, big-time game going on with him there.”

Under Galaxy Universal, which bought AND1 in 2011, the idea was to reignite the product but with more of a grassroots perspective. AND1 had a couple of owners before Galaxy, but Galaxy is looking to bring back some of the things that made AND1 so attractive. The return of streetball runs is an example.

From T-shirts and apparel, to mixtapes and tours, to impactful community service, AND1’s brand stays alive. It’s found a home at Walmart stores, where shoes and clothing are available for those looking for quality gear without paying high prices.

To Schein, it’s all about staying relevant.

“Thirty years is pretty iconic,” Schein added. “We are approaching it not only as a celebration but as a way to reintroduce the brand to a younger generation that’s not as familiar with us. It means a lot to us that we’ve been around that long. It shows tremendous customer loyalty. If you mention AND1 to people who grew up around it, you immediately see their faces light up. There’s a connection there.”

That connection was due largely to the players on the tour. They weren’t NBA stars, but they did things on the court that players of all ages and levels tried to emulate.

Alston spent time in the NBA with the Milwaukee Bucks , Toronto Raptors , Miami Heat , Houston Rockets , Orlando Magic and New Jersey Nets. He reached the NBA Finals with the Magic in 2009. But there’s still a generation that knows him as “Skip To My Lou.” His AND1 style reached so many fans.

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Rafer Alston Fan Page (@theskipfiles)

The apparel jump-started the brand, but the mixtapes and tours not only became AND1’s bread and butter but also created many global stars. Woney dazzled audiences at Rucker Park way before AND1. Waliyy “Main Event” Dixon played at Rutgers and helped develop the first AND1 game and tour. Philip “Hot Sauce” Champion became a star through his ability to embarrass defenders with his ballhandling. Aaron “AO” Owens threw some of the best alley-oops in all levels of basketball.

Grayson “The Professor” Boucher earned his way onto the tour in 2003 and has transformed a very popular streetball lifestyle into appearances in movies, most recently “Hustle,” starring Adam Sandler. Anthony “Half Man, Half Amazing” Heyward earned his nickname when Tango saw him dunk on a man twice his size.

And let’s never forget Antoine “Flash” Howard, Troy “Escalade” Jackson or Tyron “Alimoe” Evans. Howard was a South Side Chicago phenom who befriended the New York-heavy AND1 roster and impressed with his leaping ability for a player standing only 6 feet tall. He died of complications with a brain tumor in 2004 . He was 28 years old.

Jackson, nicknamed after the Cadillac luxury SUV, was the younger brother of basketball commentator and former NBA point guard Mark Jackson. He stood 6 feet 10 and was listed at 375 pounds, but he had incredible handles and threw some of the prettiest passes on the tour. Escalade died of hypertensive heart disease in 2011 . He was 38 years old.

Evans was called “Alimoe,” but he had another nickname: “The Black Widow.” He was a 6-foot-7 point guard whom many believed had the talent to make it to the NBA. He could dribble, pass, shoot and defend — and he appeared to do it all with minimal effort. He died of complications with diabetes in 2013 . He was 37 years old.

AND1 now is looking for its next generation of streetball players with its open runs. Tango said the key to success is tapping into the new generation — similar to how the legends did it 30 years ago.

“The little kids, they’re going to see it. They’re going to want to be a part of it,” Tango said. “That’s what I’m trying to tell my people. Let’s get these little kids involved. Our thing is a family thing, and I love it.”

A little bit everything that made up a big thing ☄️ #and1life #and1openrunnyc #and1openrun #and1 pic.twitter.com/5xGP7idNFk — AND1 Basketball (@and1basketball) August 8, 2023

And what draws the young fans in? It’s what they see on the court. The stars of tomorrow cannot be duplicated. Tango said the next wave of players has to be ready to live up to what the originals brought to the game.

“Those guys were amazing,” Tango said. “As we come back, these guys better be super good, because that first AND1 team was just like the USA Dream Team with Magic Johnson: You will never see a team like that again.”

As for the brand itself, Gordon said AND1 wants to be around another 30 years but will accept growth on a year-by-year basis. AND1 hopes to continue its partnership with Walmart, as it is proud that it can sell quality apparel to families for affordable prices. Gordon is happy that AND1 found and maintained a niche by meshing basketball with hip-hop, particularly with this year’s being the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. In addition to making great mixtapes, AND1 was able to showcase a lot of new hip-hop artists in the 2000s.

Evolution is now the goal for AND1. It has built a cultural resume of success for three decades, and the goal is to continue giving its fans, past and present, what they want.

“It’s humbling just to have a brand,” Gordon said. “You’re celebrating 30 years and celebrating the fans who have been with you to have that longevity. You had your peaks and your lows, but it’s a blessing. We’re proud. A 30th-year anniversary … you sit back and just say, ‘Wow.’”

Schein added: “This is just the first 30. We’ve got a lot more work ahead of us.”

— The Athletic ’s Hunter Patterson contributed to this report.

(Top photo: Steve Grayson / WireImage via Getty Images)

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Jason Jones is a staff writer for The Athletic, covering Culture. Previously, he spent 16 years at the Sacramento Bee, covering the Sacramento Kings and Oakland Raiders. He's a proud Southern California native and a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley Follow Jason on Twitter @ mr_jasonjones

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2007 AND 1 Mixtape Tour: Atlanta (Ep. 3)

2007 AND 1 Mixtape Tour: Philadelphia (Ep. 4)

2007 AND 1 Mixtape Tour: Washington DC (Ep. 5)

2007 AND 1 Mixtape Tour: Detroit (Ep. 6)

2007 and 1 mixtape tour: chicago (ep. 7), 2007 and 1 mixtape tour: dallas (ep. 8), 2007 and 1 mixtape tour: oakland (ep. 9), 2007 and 1 mixtape tour: los angles (ep. 10), 2008 and 1 mixtape tour: portland (ep. 1), 2008 and1 mixtape tour: oakland (ep. 2).

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The Story Behind 'The Greatest Mixtape Ever' Documentary, 'AO' Responds to NBA Players

NBA players clowned AND1 basketball players in the newest doc, the Greatest Mixtape Ever, for saying they could play in the NBA. Aaron 'AO' Owens responded.

Image via Complex Original

It’s only right that The Greatest Mixtape Ever , a documentary on the AND1 movement, came from a young Black creator gettin’ it out the mud. In 2017, documentary co-creator Brian Mickens was looking for a story to tell. He had previously pitched a 30 for 30 on the 2000 Michigan State Spartans team that went to the National Championship, but it didn’t work out. At that point though, the recent Grand Valley State University grad was tired of working factory jobs. He knew he had to make something shake. 

🎥: "The Greatest Mixtape Ever" 📺: ESPN pic.twitter.com/poISfTmwyA — 30 for 30 (@30for30) June 1, 2022

“I just started watching old YouTube videos [and I was] like, “Man! AND1 was groundbreaking!,” Mickens recalls over the phone. “And I was like, ‘I need to do a documentary on this.” 

He’d go to Georgia Tech every day to plot out the project. 

“I would write the description. I would write how I wanted it shot. I would write the players I wanted to be involved with, the rundown. I would do this every day, every day for like a few months.”

Four years later, that work resulted in an hour-long special that chronicled one of the most important basketball movements ever. The show debuted last week on ESPN, and predominantly covers the first four volumes of the AND1 Mixtape series, where Set Free mashed up underground rap with clips of playground legends like Rafer “Skip To My Lou” Alston, Waliyy “Main Event” Dixon, Anthony “Half Man, Half Amazing” Heyward, Aaron “AO” Owens, and many more.

The project is a result of Mickens’ resourcefulness and persistence. A chance meeting with Michael Smith at a 2017 BET Awards afterparty led to a later phone call with Smith and Scoop Jackson who heard his idea for an AND1 doc and linked him with The Undefeated. 

“I [didn’t] have no money,” Mickens recalls. “So my friends come over with some money and fly me there and I meet with [The Undefeated]. I pitch it to them and they love it. They’re like, ‘This is too big. We need to forward you to ESPN films.’” 

From there, the still “dead broke” aspirant made three separate trips from Atlanta to New York to convince the AND1 team to give him their footage. In the midst of that process he told the team he wanted AND1 mixtape creator and DJ Set Free Richardson involved in the documentary, noting, 

“If it wasn’t for him creating the mixtapes, I wouldn’t have no film.” Mickens says that Free’s connections brought on the AND1 players and rappers like Snoop Dogg, Fat Joe and Jadakiss, who lent his iconic voice to narrating the documentary. But the collaborative effort shifted the documentary from his initial plan.

That production choice casts a shadow over the documentary for those who felt like it was too omissive. Some mistook the documentary to be about streetball in general and expected mention of other famous streetball figures. And the people who understood the doc to be strictly about the AND1 mixtape wanted a story that extended into the wildly successful AND1 Mixtape tour, which ESPN covered on Streetball : The AND1 Mixtape Tour, their highest-rated original series ever.

Shortly after the documentary’s release, AND1 player Alimoe’s niece spoke for many by tweeting the film “conveniently leaves Tyron “Alimoe” Evans out” and that ESPN had “left a lot of people out.” ESPN had left out the likes of Alimoe, Escalade, Flash, The Professor, and others who weren’t mentioned.

Mickens says he understands and agrees with the sentiment, noting, “If we would’ve did it the way it was [written in the original script ] everybody would’ve gotten their due diligence. Everybody knows the documentary could have been greater, but I’m just happy for that moment, to give younger basketball players an idea of what it was like when they weren’t born. And why kids, after they do a move, they rush the court. It all started somewhere. And I think we were able to show where.”

Aaron “AO” Owens, an AND1 player and Philly basketball legend who’s one of the film’s prominent voices, agrees. 

“It was dope. I understood what they was trying to accomplish with it, so it was cool,” AO says. “I think it was just about the basis of summertime basketball linked with the music. And that first [AND1 mixtape] was about that. it was more of that than it was us personally and the tour. So, you see only the guys that was in the first three tapes was on it.”

AO is a push-the-tempo guard who many Streetball viewers may remember as the catalyst to many fast breaks which led to a spectacular alley-oop or coast-to-coast finish. His voice is heard throughout the doc, chiefly in a scene where AND1 players and NBA stars discuss whether AND1 players could have made the league. In the doc, AO admitted that his AND1 peers’ discipline might not have been where it needed to be to maintain a pro career, but he doesn’t agree with any of the players proposing that they didn’t have the skill. 

Kyrie Irving, Baron Davis, and Lou Williams giving their thoughts about AND1 Mixtape players saying they could have played in the NBA pic.twitter.com/PbuZGNp2la — Eric Rosenthal (@ericsports) June 3, 2022

“I played in the D-League (which became the G-League). I worked out with the Sixers and Sonics, stuff like that,” AO says. “As far as how Kyrie was putting it, were we dedicated? Probably not. I wasn’t dedicated to basketball at that point. I really wasn’t pushing myself. But as far as skill-wise, we played against NBA guys before, and the skill factor is not even the issue.”

Indeed, AO helped the Mobile Revelers win the D-League championship in 02-03, and also played in the first division of the Israeli Basketball Premier League. He recalled scoring 26 points on perennial IBBL power Maccabi Tel Aviv.

“The NBA is made up of, let me see, 10 superstars. Then you probably got like your next [25, 30] who could be all-stars. And then after that, you really just filling in your roster with whoever,” AO adds. “So, [for the] 80 percent of the NBA players in there it’s another 80 percent that’s not in the NBA that could play them spots. I know I could have. I know Prime Objective could have. I know Alimoe could have. Baby Shaq, maybe. Kenny Brunner was a fuckin’ McDonald’s All-American at Crenshaw, No.1 team in the country, him and Tayshaun Prince. Like Baron, you played against Kenny your whole life. You get what I’m saying? But I didn’t feel a type of way about it at all.”

During another scene, Iman Shumpert gleefully recalled people dissing AND1 star Hot Sauce as “Ketchup” after a bad showing at a pro-am game. But AO feels that the scene was unfair to Hot Sauce, who never proclaimed to be NBA caliber.  

“Sauce is my man, a hundred grand. But Sauce is not a basketball player,” AO says. “Sauce was what he was. I [commented on] somebody’s Instagram the other day, one of the guys who used to be at the Rucker. He had posted something, and I was like, ‘Yo, Sauce never said he was an NBA guy. He never said he could be a pro. He never said anything bad about Rucker and all that. And every time something come up like this, y’all put Sauce name in it.’ Sauce was who he was. And that’s the end of that.”

That’s why the AND1 crew is set to tell their own story, as AO tells us that he and several other players are in the early stages of their own “Last Dance style” documentary that they’re shopping with Netflix. But even with that future documentary, AO and others at AND1 are appreciative of the story Mickens and Set Free just told. Mickens says AND1’s marketing director and others congratulated him on the documentary after its release. 

“That’s what I’m happy about, man,’’ Mickens says. “I just want to keep creating dope stuff, letting young Black kids know that, ‘Look, I’m from Flint, Michigan. If I made it, you can do the same thing. It’s just all mental man. You got to have your spirit right. Your mind right. You can do it too bro.’” 

Just like AO and the AND1 movement inspired him.

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The And1 Mixtape Tour Is Making A Comeback This Summer

by Len Werle · 29. June 2023

Basketball has always been a sport that captivates audiences with its electrifying dunks, jaw-dropping crossovers, and remarkable displays of skill. While professional leagues like the NBA showcase the talents of elite athletes, there exists a unique and mesmerizing world of streetball that takes the game to a whole new level. At the heart of this urban basketball phenomenon lies the And1 Mixtape Tour, a thrilling showcase of streetball prowess and entertainment. 

What set the And1 Mixtape Tour apart from mainstream basketball was the freedom it granted players to express their creativity on the court. The tour highlighted the flashy and inventive aspects of streetball, where players would unleash an array of ankle-breaking crossovers, thunderous dunks, and mesmerizing ball handling moves. Each event provided a platform for players to showcase their individual skills while entertaining the crowd with their unique playing styles and charismatic personalities.

The And1 Mixtape Tour served as a launching pad for numerous streetball players who later achieved widespread recognition. Legends like “Skip to My Lou” (Rafer Alston), “Hot Sauce” (Phillip Champion), and “The Professor” (Grayson Boucher) became household names, captivating audiences with their mind-boggling moves and dazzling displays. These players, among others, not only left indelible impressions on the court but also inspired a new generation of aspiring ballers who sought to emulate their style and mastery.

And there are some great news regarding And1… IT IS BACK!!!! AND1 Basketball just revealed that Open Runs RETURN July 9, 2023 in Philadelphia and July 23 in NYC. 

Tags: And1 And1 Mixtape And1 Mixtape Tour

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The And1 mixtape tour brought streetball experience to the masses

• Author: Andy Erk

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When And1 first came onto the scene, it provided a life-changing opportunity for some of New York City’s greatest streetballers. Local legends Shane “Dribbling Machine” Woney, Wailyy “Main Event” Dixon, Anthony “Half Man, Half Amazing” Heyward, Dennis “Spyda” Chism and Robert “50” Martin would become known as the original six, players who shaped what streetball looked like for a mainstream audience and pushed And1 to the top.

And1 basketball has its roots laced tight on hundreds of outdoor battlegrounds, where the best come to prove themselves—Rucker Park, Dyckman, West 4th, Kingdom. New York City is the mecca of streetball and home to six basketball players who just wanted a shot. A shot at greatness, a shot at fame, better, a shot at being immortalized and proving they were more than what people thought, that they were the best non-NBA basketball players the world has ever known.

And1 streetball was intended to be as authentic as possible. At the same time, entertainment was entrenched deep into the streetball identity. The original six were out to take that identity to the masses and gain a chance for the next wave of streetball greats to play college, international, or even NBA basketball.

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“We didn't care about popularity, or TV, or money,” says The Dribbling Machine. “We just wanted to prove that New York City had some of the best talent not in the NBA. The goal was to open up door for guys to make it to the NBA, or make it overseas.”

But the And1 squad was not naive enough to believe that they didn’t have to put on a show to keep fans coming back. They realized their time in the spotlight was largely built upon entertainment value. For the original six, importance was placed on ensuring flash while keeping some form of traditional basketball alive.

“Entertainment basketball was just a facet of what we were bringing to the table,” says Half Amazing. “We were also real ball players. It wasn't just an entertaining thing from my perspective. I was out to show these cats that you could also be entertaining playing authentic basketball.”

Two major additions changed the game: Grayson “The Professor” Boucher and Phillip “Hot Sauce” Champion. Neither had the same basketball experience as the original six who built their fame by beating the best of the best in college, Europe, or the famed outdoor courts. For The Professor, making the And1 team was totally by chance.

“I only made my junior college team because my dad sold my coach his wedding ring,” says The Professor. “A bunch of guys got hurt, so it ended up I played that year, but it was only five minutes a game. If the game was close, I wouldn't even get in. That was the extent of my basketball career, pre-And1. 

“[I] actually went there just to watch the game because I was such a fan,” The Professor said. “I went in there and tried out and got the crowd excited with a few moves and they asked me to come inside and play against the And1 team. It just so happened that at that time they were having a nationwide contest looking for someone for the And1 team. I went through the process of elimination the whole summer. It was sort of a survivor-themed contest on ESPN and I ended up winning the contract in August of 2003.”

The addition of The Professor was more than just another roster move. It was a shift in the team’s culture. The And1 brand would never be the same again. The concern was no longer on keeping on-court credibility, or having the most talented players. And1 became about high-level sponsors and putting on the best show the world has seen. And what a show they would put on.

And1 gained popularity as players made entertainment a bigger part of the basketball equation. The ankle-breaking crossovers and jaw-dropping dunks became the magnet that drew a chorus of thousands of oohs and aahs that drowned out stadiums. The Professor became the king of the And1 circuit, the player crowds would beg to see. The stakes were raised even higher by crazy dunks such as Mr. 720’s literal 720 throwdown. His dunks felt fabricated, even for those playing with him.

“It was a delayed reaction, wow that was crazy,” Half Man, Half Amazing said. “Maybe 3-5 seconds later, I was like, 'did he just spin around twice?' Three seconds after I said it, the crowd reacted the same way. After that I just lost it. I lost it after that. To this day, until somebody can top that dunk, he is the greatest dunker on the planet. Everybody has dunked from the foul line in different forms or fashion. Nobody has ever done a 720, except Mr. 720.”

As And1 continued to impress on the court, off-the-court sponsors came running to get involved with the new global sensation. ESPN and Mountain Dew became involved with the And1 tour. ESPN would send And1 to every corner of the globe, from the U.S. to Asia. “We were rock stars,”  Dribbling Machine​ said. “​If you weren't an All-Star in the NBA, we were more popular than you.”  

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While And1 ascended to unimagined heights in public, behind closed doors, things started to go into disarray. The original six saw the beginning of the end.

And1 was always supposed to hold onto the gritty, Saturday afternoon basketball games that focused on winning, not flash. The crossovers didn’t matter. Only the score mattered. Basketball was valued.

“All we wanted to do was be heard, we could've taken what they had, taken a little piece of what we had and just put it together,” Half Man, Half Amazing said. “That is all we were every trying to do, was mix the two. Entertainment basketball and authentic basketball put together and you have that perfect storm. There is nothing like it.”

Player opinion was gone, traditional basketball was gone and big-money sponsors became more heavily involved in the selection of players, direction of the brand and the inner workings of And1. With heavy outside influence, it became easy for players to feel taken advantage of by those trying to make a quick buck.

“The original owners [took advantage of us], it was 100% they took advantage of the game,” Dribble Machine said, “the ideas we have, the knowledge, a lot of the stuff that you see like the hashtags and a lot of stuff like that.

“The first time I realized it, one night I came home, I used to like watching poker. I saw one of the old owners playing poker and he lost, I think, $400,000 or $700,000 on a pair of 7's. All I could do is laugh to myself and say, there goes our money.”

The original six had reached their breaking point. They decided to step away from the brand they had worked so hard to help build after experiencing the highs, lows and ultimate let down. It was time for a change.

After struggling with And1 for too long, Half Man, Half Amazing took to being an extra in movies. Movies offered an escape from basketball, but kept Half Man, Half Amazing in the spotlight. ​

​​Random people step up to take Spiderman one-on-one at the courts. The people are clueless, believing the one behind the mask is a joke of a basketball player. Two minutes later they find themselves lost as Spiderman puts together a mix of dribbling moves that leave them on the floor. The Professor had found his niche as a YouTube content creator through a variety of spoofs on basketball courts across the country.

“In 2013 a friend of mine came up with the Spiderman basketball idea, the guy [who came up with it] Set Free co-produces with me, it was for a prank,” The Professor said. “We did it as a prank and then next you thing you know it was 20 million views in a week. We thought it would be innovative and now it has lasted for more than three years.”

Three years later and The Professor still finds himself creating YouTube videos. His videos have stretched from Spiderman to Star Wars. The Professor finds himself in an odd space as part basketball player, part YouTube celebrity. 

After struggling with And1, The Dribbling Machine and Spyda are trying to find a way to make a lasting impact back on the streetball scene. As they say, the intent is to reinvent the wheel.

“And1 really needs to be back out there because it changed lives,” The Dribbling Machine said. “It was bigger than basketball. I still hear it today, people telling me, man, 'If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have went to college. If it wasn't for you guys, I wouldn't have got out of that gang. If it wasn't for you guys, I wouldn't have worked hard to take care of my family.'”

The impact of And1 and streetball has been so far reaching that Spyda is attempting to bring the original six back together for a reunion. 

“I’m doing transitional housing and I’m working a project right now to bring back streetball,” Spyda said. “I’m open to working with any brand, even And1, Nike, Reebok to bring back the streetball, to help out the community. If you go and do your numbers, when we were touring and playing, there was not a lot of dropout in schools. Guys were more active, women were more active, people were more active in getting in the gym and playing ball. Even if it was just getting in there dribilling and working on moves, it kept people off the streets. It was definitely an educational movement for the community, to keep people from getting in so much trouble.”

Here are the biggest off-season moves in NBA history

Biggest off-season moves in NBA history

Wilt chamberlain, 1968.

George Long

Wilt Chamberlain was traded to the Lakers only one year after winning the Finals with the Warriors. At times, Wilt struggled to fit in with Los Angeles. But in 1972, Chamberlain relinquished some of his offensive game to focus more on defense and rebounding, helping lead the Lakers to a championship—and his only Finals MVP award—in the process.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, 1975

John G. Zimmerman

The Lakers acquired Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and his skyhook from Milwaukee in 1975, and he dominated the league while in Hollywood. Kareem won five titles with the Lakers, including a Finals MVP win in 1985, 14 years after his first Finals MVP with the Bucks. Kareem also won three regular season MVPs with the Lakers, and later coached for the franchise as well.

Moses Malone, 1982

Manny Millan

The Houston Rackets traded Moses Malone, who was coming off an MVP season, to the 76ers. Malone quickly formed an unstoppable duo with Julius Erving, and the two led Philly to an NBA Finals in in 1983. Malone won MVP during the regular season, making him the only player to win the award two straight years with different teams.

Shaquille O’Neal, 1996

Peter Read Miller; John W. McDonough

Shaquille O’Neal left the team that drafted him, the Orlando Magic , for the Lakers in the summer of 1996, signing a seven-year, $120 million deal with Los Angeles. Shaq would win three championships with L.A., forming an a legendary—but combustible—combination with Phil Jackson and Kobe Bryant.

Tracy McGrady, 2000

Tracy McGrady joined the Magic to play with Grant Hill, but was thrust into a larger role as Hill dealt with numerous injuries. McGrady responded by becoming one of the best scorers in the league, leading the NBA in points per game twice while in Orlando. McGrady’s run was short lived, however, as he was traded to Houston in 2004.

Steve Nash, 2004

John W. McDonough

The Suns signed Steve Nash to a six-year, $63 million deal in 2004. Nash was 30 at the time, but took his game to another level in Phoenix. The point guard won MVP in his first two years in the desert, but despite his individual success, Nash could never lift the team past the conference finals.

Kevin Garnett, 2007

After years of falling short with the Timberwolves, Kevin Garnett was traded to the Celtics in July 2007. Garnett, along with Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, immediately turned the Celtics back into one of the NBA’s premier franchises. Boston won the Finals in KG’s first season, and almost won a couple more if not for ill-timed injuries.

Chris Bosh, 2010

Greg Nelson

Chris Bosh joined the Heat along with LeBron James, and quickly became an integral part of Miami’s success. Bosh played a key role in the Heat’s run to four straight NBA Finals—most notably picking up an offensive rebound and assist before the Ray Allen’s three in Game 6 of the 2013 Finals.

LeBron James, 2010

Walter Iooss Jr.; Jeffery A. Salter

LeBron James, angering many with a TV special to announce his decision, chose to leave Cleveland for Miami in July 2010. LeBron made the Finals in all four of his seasons with the Heat, capturing two championships and two Finals MVPs in the process. James reached new levels of efficiency in Miami, cementing his legacy as one of the game’s greatest players.

Chris Paul, 2011

Chris Paul joined the Clippers in 2011 to form a Lob City-connection with Blake Griffin and lift the Clippers back to relevancy. Los Angeles became one of the top teams year-in and year-out with Paul at the helm, but has struggled in the playoffs against West rivals. As of 2016, Paul has yet to play in a conference finals.

Dwight Howard, 2012

Peter Read Miller

Dwight Howard, like Shaquille O'Neal 16 years before him, left the Magic for the Lakers by forcing a trade out of Orlando. Unlike Shaq, Howard flamed out with the Lakers. Also joined by Steve Nash, the Lakers never gelled on or off the court, and Howard lasted only one season in Los Angeles before joining the Houston Rockets .

LeBron James, 2014

Todd Rosenberg; Greg Nelson

LeBron James returned to Cleveland in 2014, announcing his decision via a letter in Sports Illustrated. LeBron immediately launched the Cavaliers into the NBA’s top tier, bringing the team to the Finals in his first season back. In 2016, the James-led Cavaliers—after going down 3–1—upset the 73-win Warriors in the Finals, a shocking upset led by one of the best individual performances in Finals history.

Kevin Durant, 2016

Kevin Durant , a four-time scoring champion and former MVP, joined the Warriors in July 2016. Golden State not only won 73 games the season before, but knocked Durant’s Thunder team out of the playoffs only weeks before the signing. The Warriors’ addition of Durant immediately made them the overwhelming favorite to win the Finals in 2017.

Dwyane Wade, 2016

Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images

The Chicago Bulls agreed to sign Dwyane Wade, a 12-time All-Star who won three titles during his 13-year tenure in Miami, to a two-year contract worth $47.5 million with a player option on the second season. Wade won NBA titles with the Heat in 2006, 2012 and 2013 and had spent his entire career with the team after being drafted No. 5 overall in 2003.

This reunion is more than something that Spyda is talking about, it is a movement he is actively prepping. Spyda, who has had several knee surgeries, continued working out and founded a company that will figure out how outsiders and the rest of the original six feel about a possible reunion.

“My thing is, get these guys at a round table, let's talk about it, let's set some goals and try and bring this thing back,” Spyda said. “I don’t want to use the word try, let’s do it. The community needs it right now. I think everybody wants to see us come back and do a reunion. I’m preparing my body and my mind like I have been doing the last five years. Even going through both my repairings on my knees to get me back to who I am, do what Spyda does, what Spyda do.

“I plan on getting the guys back together to come up with a strategic plan. Should we go on the apparel route, or should we just go and just do us and bring the tour back. Even if we have to start one event at a time, just to get a buzz and get back out there. I created a company, I don’t want to say the name right now, but I created a company and just am seeing if guys are down for the movement to get back in the community. I want to get back to donating to the community.”

And1 has always been special. It created that barbeque atmosphere and gave players a chance at changing lives, and it was something that might only happen once in a lifetime, Half Man, Half Amazing says.

“And1 was lightening in a bottle,” Half Man, Half Amazing said. “Nobody saw it coming and I will always, always cherish the memories I have with And1 playing with my guys. To everybody out there who ever had a doubt that And1 was fake, this coming from the o.g. Half Man, Half Amazing, we were the truest ball players out there. You will never be able to put a team together like that ever again. Period. Things like that only come around once.”

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And1, vhs tapes and streetball dvds. basketball culture was much different 10+ years ago..

The Professor, formerly of And1, sat down with Fanatics View to give some clarity on what happened to the And1 league and the growth of street ball’s reputation within the last decade.

The Professor also talks about the love and support he has received from fellow NBA players over the years and how And1’s following may have been drastically different and larger if it was alive today.

“The following we would’ve had back then would’ve been bananas, you know what I mean?” Cause And1 was in 40 countries and those were the countries we would tour when we went to play internationally.”

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AND1 Mixtape Tour

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AND1’s Iconic Mixtape Tour Bus Makes Grand Return To Celebrate Brand’s 30th Anniversary 

AND1 recently celebrated its 30th anniversary in style with a legendary Open Run tournament in Philadelphia and Harlem. The brand, which began in Philly back in 1993 and expanded globally in the years that followed, has been responsible for showcasing many of the great streetball talents the world has ever seen. The event in both cities once again demonstrated the universal power that AND1 continues to have in bringing people together.  

The New York event was located at the legendary Kingdome basketball court. As expected, the atmosphere was on another level, as AND1 brought back OG mixtape legends, including Skip, Hot Sauce, Shane, The Pharmacist, Duke Tango, as well as hoopers Briana Green and Aaron Owens, to name a few. There was also a dunk contest, skills and drills clinics for kids, dance contests, and basketball trivia challenges.

Additionally, it brought back its iconic mixtape tour bus.

When asked what made it all so special, AND1 Brand Director Dexter Gordon’s simply says “The energy.” Later adding: “[In New York], if an NBA player or somebody with a name comes to play in a tournament, players look at it as, Oh, I’m gonna get my name off this guy. I’m going at it. Everybody’s trying to go at it. And it’s just the energy. Like I said, you got the crowd on the court, you got the music going, the players are talking, the fans are talking to you, and it’s just that energy of New York.” 

Game always speaks for itself, and when it comes to the legacy of AND1, the brand has continued to elevate itself at the forefront of streetball culture. 

“Basketball is that sport, man. You could have five guys on the court who speak five different languages but when you put them on that court, they all know our goal is to get that ball in the hoop,” says Gordon. “They have to communicate. They have to work together. So basketball is a great community builder.” 

See photos below for a visual recap of the events: 

Photos by Soul Brother .

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A’ja wilson takes us behind the scenes of gatorade’s “is it in you” campaign, nbpa top 100 camp top 30 players: 30-21, the man behind the 7: set free richardson bridges the gap between hoops and hip-hop, photos: and1 philadelphia high school basketball classic 🌃, kevin garnett talks new role with and1, future designs and growing the brand.

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IT'S SIMPLE

WIN OR GO HOME.

BRAND PURPOSE

A brand anchored in the streetball mentality for the celebration and co-creation of basketball culture and lifestyle around the world.

Unapologetic

OUR CUSTOMER

For culture contributors, streetball connoisseurs, and those who embrace the streetball mentality, AND1 is the brand that disrupts basketball culture and lifestyle by removing softness from the game.

CHANGING THE GAME

One day at a time., and1 legacy players, ambassador history.

AND1 is more than a brand - it's a movement . 

THE AND1 MIXTAPE TOUR

Heritage ambassadors.

The AND1 Mixtape Tour was a traveling basketball competition and exhibition of streetball players. The crew traveled from town to town and challenged teams of local talent. Games tended to be dominated byt one-on-one, ball handling moves, acrobatic slam dunks and alley-oops.  The tour was televised for half an hour. The "Streetball" segments aired on ESPN2 and were compiled into highlight reels, offered under the mark AND1 Mixtape.  They were produced on DVD, of which AND1 has released 10 volumes.

AND1 was founded on August 13th, 1993 in Paoli, Pennsylvania by Seth Berger, Jay Coen Gilbert and Tom Austin. From then on, AND1 owned the summer. While most basketball brands hibernated, we awakened and brought the streets alive with the greatest show to hit the blacktop, the AND1 Mixtape Tour. From trash talking tees, shoes, clothes, mixtapes, tournaments, television shows and videos - AND1 dominates the hip hop and basketball landscape.

SKIP TO MY LOU & AO

Skip, Rafer Alston, and "AO" Aaron Owens, were the original mixtape crew.

KEVIN GARNETT

Kevin Garnett is a world-renowned professional basketball player who played for 21 seasons in the NBA. Known for his intensity, defensive ability, and versatility, Garnett is considered one of the greatest power forwards of all time. 

Montrezl Harrel is a professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA. He played college basketball for the Louisville Cardinals. Harrell received the Karl Malone Award as the top power forward in the nation as a junior in 2015.

FRED VANVLEET

Fredderick VanVleet Sr. is a professional basketball player for the Toronto Raptors in the NBA. A 6 ft 0 in guard, VanVleet played college basketball for Wichita State University before beginning his NBA career. 

NORMAN POWELL

New ambassadors.

Norman Powell is a professional basketball player for the Toronto Raptors in the NBA. Playing college basketball with the UCLA Bruins, he was an all-conference player in the Pac-12. He was selected in the second round of the 2015 NBA draft.