ABOUT AND1 AUSTRALIA

AND1 is basketball. The name is derived from a phrase used in Basketball. When a player is fouled while scoring a shot – the player is awarded on free throw. If they player makes the free throw this is termed ‘and 1’.

Born in the summer of 1993 in Philadelphia – the brand was launched through a range of trash talk slogan tees. It marketed itself towards the ‘baller’ those who hone their craft on the streets and always think they are the best player on the court.

From that point – there was a real niche for a brand with a total dedication to basketball. Footwear, on and off court apparel, accessories and basketballs truly brought the brand to life. With their roots still deeply ingrained in streetball – in 1998 a videotape containing streetball stunts was delivered to And1. In this featured the newly NBA draftee Rafer Alston aka Skip to my Lou. Rafer would go on to become one of the most respected and well know Streetballers of our day. And1 partnered with Rafer and the Mixtape era was born.

The mixtape era became a selling point, a point of difference for the brand and something that others have tried to replicate without success. The Mixtape Era saw 100,000’s of MixTape Videos/DVD’s being sold which also resulted in the formation of the Mixtape Tour – where the best streetballers in the US would tour the world taking on the best talent in each country they visited. It inspired kids to go out and practice their skills just like their mixtape heroes.

Today – streetball is still in our roots. And1 is still and always will be about basketball. In Australia a change in ownership meant re-establishing ourselves as a dedicated basketball brand. Our focus is grassroots. The Junior players, the kids who live and breathe basketball. We’re about making product that gives them the confidence to make that shot or make that steal. We’re here for the lovers of basketball.