Fred VanVleet on Becoming the New Face of AND1 & the Brand's Revival

The Toronto Raptors guard talks about the Attack 2.0 and his nostalgia for the brand in this panel discussion hosted by Complex Canada.

Droves of fans lined up outside Foot Locker's Yonge and Dundas location in Toronto last weekend for⁠—what else?⁠—a sneaker drop. But not just any sneaker drop, mind you—they were lining up for new AND1s. We shit you not. The Toronto Raptors' Fred VanVleet, you see, is the new face of the basketball apparel brand, and seldom do fans of Canada's only NBA team get to rock kicks endorsed by their favourite players. (There were Vince Carter's Nike Shox BB4, but that was 20 years ago; and Kawhi Leonard had the OMN1S, but let's not go there...) So when the shrewd guard showed up to the exclusive launch of the AND1 Day and Night Attack 2.0, it was to rapturous (pun not intended) applause.

Though AND1 faced some business troubles in the aughts, the brand has been experiencing something of a resurgence lately. For evidence, check the Attack 2.0. Boasting a sleek silhouette and Harmonix RX cushioning, these kicks are actually pretty fire. Much like Steady Freddy, AND1 is betting on itself.

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Complex Canada's Alex Narvaez hosted a panel discussion with VanVleet and the brains behind AND1 to talk about the Raptors guard's first sneaker deal and the brand's plans for a legendary comeback.