THE RETURN OF THE ICONIC AND1 TAI CHI
Founded in 1993 and still relevant to this day, AND1 Streetball shaped street culture around the globe. Whether through killer streetball mixtapes or the release of their own basketball apparel.
One of the most memorable moments from the brand, though, was when Vince “Vinsanity” Carter wore their famous AND1 Tai Chi while winning the 2000 NBA Dunk Contest. Everyone went wild when he smashed down a 360 windmill jam. Shaquille O’Neal captured the moment with his VHS Camera where his expression would forever be enshrined as the "😮" meme . Legendary.
While Vinsanity’s performance at the dunk contest crashed the media, AND1 reached their height of popularity around the globe. Everyone knew what was going down when streetballers like “Skip to my Lou”, “Hot Sauce” or “The Professor” showed up on the court, releasing their famous mixtapes (watch here: AND 1 MIXTAPE VOL.3) and touring different cities within the AND1 MIXTAPE TOUR.
What made the AND1 Tai Chi special was the striking color difference of the shoes’ surface and the light weight, making it particularly attractive for guards.
The Tai Chi was released by a small Philadelphia-based brand back in 1999 for only $75. In today’s world, high performance basketball shoes usually cost double that price. Three basketball enthusiasts decided they could be compete in the market of high-performance basketball shoes. And they proved it. With millions of units sold, countless designed Player Exclusives (PE’s) and a renowned history that stretches from street culture to the NBA, the AND1 Tai Chi quickly became one of the most beloved basketball shoes of the time.
Not to forget that AND1 competed against Nike in the 90s. Tom Austin, former Co-Founder and Design-Lead of AND1 had high hopes for selling his design. With reward. Being up there with Nike and selling shoes like crazy was completely revolutionary – especially for a streetball brand.
With the international stage that the Tai Chi got through Vince Carter, the “underdog” was suddenly considered a fashion and performance statement among basketball shoes. Carter himself wasn’t even signed to AND1 at the time.
And the Tai Chi wasn’t just a short lived fad. Here is a list of other prominent NBA players who wore the Tai Chi in-game:
Rafer “Skip” Alston
Stephon Marbury
Monta Ellis
Jamal Crawford
Jason Williams
Latrell Sprewell
Kevin Garnett
Lance Stephenson
Montrezl Harrel
The AND 1 Tai Chi, one of the most legendary basketball shoes just re-released and is available now on KICKZ.com.
The classic materials and color separation make the Tai Chi unique. It features a combination of leather and nubuck on the upper combined with breathable mesh on the tongue. The shoe maximizes retro on-court performance while staying true to everyday street style. The low-profile design of the outsole yields an exceptional on-court feel while the comfortable EVA cushion ensures a stable fit overall.
Want a pair of these classics? Check out the two colorways of the AND1 Tai Chi available now on KICKZ.com!