Obviously, I was always the one to have it. My mom would take me to 7-Eleven and the donut shop, and that was the first two things I’d ask for in the morning, every first of the month. 

Seeing that new SLAM as a 7th grader, it made me work harder. As I was setting up all my goals as a hooper — playing in the McDonald’s Game, being a national champion in High School, and eventually making it to the NBA — being in SLAM was right there at the top of my list. 

When I was 12, I knew that if I made the SLAM cover one day, our lives would change. 

The first time I thought I could be in SLAM was when I saw Sebastian Telfair and LeBron James on the cover as high school basketball players. That right there took it to the next level for me. Just a few years later, before my 10th grade year at Dominguez High School in LA, there I was, doing my first photoshoot to be in SLAM.

I was in the locker room, just mean mugging the whole time. Just letting the world know: There’s a hostile young kid from Compton coming.

I just always loved the grittiness, and seeing some of the best basketball players from around the world in the magazine. You were always hearing the hype about players for the first time. As the competitors that we are, everyone wants to go against the best, and SLAM always kept you updated on who was coming and who was next. 

Fast forward to now, and hearing that SLAM is going into the Hall of Fame on its 30th anniversary — it’s well deserved. It’s just a big moment for real basketball. With everything that they put into the streets, the love of basketball has definitely paid off for them. I’m just happy for everyone that I’ve known at the magazine over the years. 

To celebrate SLAM’s 30th anniversary, I wanted to connect my own brand Tuff Crowd with SLAM for a fire collection. Working on this collab together is just another full circle moment in my life. 

As everyone knows, I never went to college. Me going across the country to Oak Hill early, then making the decision to skip college, go out the country and go overseas — my route in my life has always been different. Even retiring early and starting Tuff Crowd was different.  

That’s what this collection represents. That taking a risk is nothing, when you have that belief in you.

The joy of taking a risk and not knowing what’s coming is the beauty of life.

At Tuff Crowd University, we keep it hostile. It’s the school and mindset for everyone that has taken a different path in life to get to where they want to go.

We wanted to use the original SLAM logo for this collection, with that grittiness, to take it all the way back to ’94. We’ve got a coach’s jacket, two hoodies, two tees and some game shorts that are crazy. It’s about having that coaching swag, and celebrating the idea of school spirit and playing by your own rules.

This collab is also just showing how much the game has meant to me. Way back when I was 12, I wasn’t wrong. Being in that SLAM Magazine as a 10th grader, and then on the cover at 18 years-old in Italy and again as a NBA rookie, really did change my life.

All these years later, this collection also shows how we’re always bigger than just basketball players. Being able to put the ball down and get into something outside of it, but still be connected to the game of basketball, is just a great feeling of pride for what I’m building with Tuff Crowd and where I’ve been in my life. 

And I’ve got SLAM Magazine to thank for giving me that inspiration from the very beginning. 

SLAM Magazine photo credit: Drew Reynolds.

The post SLAM and Tuff Crowd Are Keeping It Hostile  appeared first on SLAM.

I’ve always tried to do things a different way, and I’ve never been afraid of taking a risk. 

That meant going to Oak Hill, when I was already the #1 player in the country, cause I wanted to run at 6 AM every day. Learn from the best High School coach of all time, Steve Smith. I wanted to play the best schedule in the country. I wanted to break Melo’s scoring record. I wanted to put my skills on display, every night, and see if my love for the game, and that $30 orange ball, could get me millions. (And I did all that.) 

When I skipped college and went pro in Rome, I took an even bigger risk. I signed a shoe deal with a football brand that had never even launched a basketball shoe, and I took pride in that shit. I trusted Kris Stone and Kevin Plank and the vision we all had. I knew we all had that same dog mindset to get after it. 

I’m the OG at Under Armour, had their 1st ever signature shoe, and to this day I’m proud of that decision. The way I looked at making big decisions, I was always willing to take a risk, but confident about what I bring to the table. I was open minded, but knew how much work would have to go into building things from scratch. I always knew what I signed up for. And I was hyper aggressive and wanted to create some real energy.

That type of mindset was also exactly how Kevin Plank built the whole brand from his grandma’s basement. 

I always had that same entrepreneurial spirit, and you can probably see that now too, ever since I launched my own brand — Tuff Crowd. 

And now, it’s all coming full circle.

My Draft classmate, who I call Thirty, took a chance on UA a handful of years after me too.

When Stephen Curry first signed on with Under Armour, he hadn’t even made an All-Star Game yet. (He started the very next one.) His team hadn’t won a ring in like 40 years. (He won his first of four titles the year after that.) He got a signature shoe too, and now he’s on his 11th. (He won MVP in the 1, then again in the 2s.) 

So it’s only right that the two guys that laid the foundation of Under Armour Basketball are coming together now for a full collaboration collection. 

When I first launched Tuff Crowd in 2019, it was built on a simple idea. Life is a Tuff Crowd, and things don’t always go according to plan. That’s what I started to really figure out when I was by myself and playing in China that year. Stuff gets thrown your way that you didn’t think you’d ever have to deal with, but you gotta power through.

That’s where the idea of my “Hostile Territory” tagline comes from. You gotta have that dog mindset to get past the struggles, and trust me, when you have that belief that things will work out, there’s no better feeling than being on the other side. 

I’ve been through it all. I tore my Achilles and my entire life changed. Changed the whole course of where I thought my career was headed. I was on a run right before that and playing my best hoop ever. But that’s life.

Friends and fam issues came up that you couldn’t imagine. Situations where I had to fight through, that made me stronger. I spent a lot of time by myself when I was playing in China and Russia, where I could really reflect. And I have perspective, appreciation, and belief cause of all of it. I’m at peace with the path I’ve lived. 

All of that goes into Tuff Crowd. 

People might not know this, but during the NBA lockout in 2011, I actually interned at Under Armour for that whole summer in Baltimore. Kevin Plank loaned me his black Jeep to drive around. Had a whole office with my job title on it — “Curator of Cool.” 

Being in there every day, with Kris Stone, Ron Johnson and Ryan Drew, was everything. Being able to see how things work as a company, and learning about materials, fabrics, designs, comfort and different styles, it helped me get more detailed about how I wanted my product to be. 

That whole internship helped me a lot. Waking up every day, going to the office and working on projects that had to be delivered by a certain time and required an attention to detail — it was my foundation of understanding how brands and business works. 

When it comes to style, I always felt like I had an eye for stuff that was effortless, but bold. Drewsy at UA used to always joke that he could drop me off at a Goodwill for 10 minutes, give me $20 bucks to cop a whole outfit, and I’d come out fresh. 

I always just had that feel. That sauce. 

I’d be on LeagueFits every day if it was around back then. 

Since I’ve been working on my brand for the last couple years, we’ve had a ton of highlights for sure. Getting featured in NBA 2K has been killer. Doing an official collab with the Bucks was crazy. 

And I gotta give a shout out and special thanks to Jordan Clarkson. He really believed since day one that Tuff Crowd would take off, and he rocked the whole fit when he won 6th Man of the Year. You have no idea how much that support has meant to me.

Seeing players rock Tuff Crowd at championship parades, in the tunnel and at All-Star events ever since has been amazing.

But this, I’m telling you, is the dopest thing I ever worked on.

You already know Steph is locked in for life at UA, and with Curry Brand, he’s looking to really build up the style and designs of what he’s putting out.

That’s why we teamed up.

Tuff Crowd and Curry Brand — but not just a shoe, or a couple pieces. A whole collection. We’ve got three shoes off top, and almost 20 pieces of gear and accessories. And the story behind it is great. 

The idea of 11:11 is big for me. 

The bones design on the collection come straight from my neck tattoo, and it’s a spiritual reminder for me. 

It speaks to understanding who you are, what your purpose is, and alignment with your path and what God has in store for you. When you think about it, there’s no better representation of that than Stephen.

He’s a good dude at his core, he’s locked in on what matters most, and he wants to really, genuinely, help people out. No matter if you’re from Charlotte, Oakland, or anywhere else in between, he has a whole team around him that’s there to get things moving and make a difference. I’ve seen that firsthand. 

Steph has been rocking with Tuff Crowd since the start. It’s funny, cause earlier this summer, I was randomly looking up some of our original orders from TuffCrowd.com, and sure enough, Steph had bought one of the first beanies that we dropped years ago. He rocks the collar stitch tees. The dad hats. The dog hoodies too. 

And of course, that fire ass black and red chain stitch jacket that I made him after he broke the 3-Point record, with 2974 on the wrist, and patches repping his kids on the sleeve. 

But this is different. We’ve got some Curry 11s that have black Flow tech for the first time ever for Curry Brand. The Cozy we did is so fire and clean. We got a hoody that I think is the best clothing item that Curry Brand has ever made. We got tees, socks, shorts, hats and a tote bag that is my go-to, day to day joint. 

I wanted to bring an edge to this collection and show another side of Stephen, that people haven’t seen. There’s a mood the whole way through. People think Steph is just a nice guy, but trust me, he’s hostile out there on the court, with how competitive he is. He attacks everything he does in life with intent and purpose, and I wanted to celebrate that part of his game and his mentality through the designs.

It’s about the details. The story. And the idea that two of UA’s most impactful dudes early on can come together again and put out some real heat that you’ll actually want to rock. To dinner. In the tunnel. On the court. With your fam. Wherever. 

I’m big on the idea of ownership. Of running your own thing. Putting your name, your imprint and your stamp on something that you can stand behind and be proud of. That’s what Steph is doing now as President of Curry Brand, what I’m building with Tuff Crowd, and really the roots of how Under Armour took off. 

When my guy launched his own damn Curry Brand at the end of 2020 (which is killer…read that sentence again!!), one of the first things he told everyone at UA was something like, ‘Look, this isn’t even about me, we have a real opportunity here to impact the next generation.’ 

They came up with a tagline for Curry Brand to describe the idea: “Change The Game For Good” 

Ever since, I’ve been able to see that impact up close. 

I’ve been at Curry Camp the last two summers now, where Stephen is walking the top next up dudes and women through every drill, every detail and giving them some real talk about how you need to think the game at that highest level. All these boys and girls are the best at what they do — right now — but that doesn’t guarantee nothin when the lights come on, on the biggest stage, a few years from now. 

We know Steph’s story. He laughed and told all the Camp players, that when he was their age, he wouldn’t have even been invited to his own camp. That should say a lot right there. There’s work, detail and intent that you gotta pour in, to get to where we’ve gotten.

The week after his camp last year, I pulled up to a middle school in Long Beach, where him and Snoop Dogg had re-done the entire gymnasium for the LBC community. 

Man, you shoulda seen the smile on these kids’ faces. I can’t even begin to tell you how much hope that provides to all the youngins coming up, to get to see STEPH CURRY right up close, and know that he cares about them and wants to help them out.

Look — the shoes and the clothes we’re dropping are hard as hell. Like, really some of the hardest stuff I’ve ever dropped since I even started Tuff Crowd. 

But Steph’s line that he uses — “Change The Game For Good” — is real.  

That’s what makes this next sentence so amazing. 

As part of our 11:11 collection launch this week on Saturday, we’re actually taking it back to my hometown gym in LA, where I literally picked up a ball at 5 years old and learned how to hoop. Where our kids league director JK made sure we had a safe place to play. I got the trophy to prove it. 

I’m talking Rowley Park.

Back in 2011, one of the first givebacks I did with UA was donate a new outdoor court at the park. The street signs say Brandon Jennings Way and Under Armour Way. And for the whole last decade it became a spot where kids from the neighborhood could escape and just play. Just have fun. Just be kids. 

This time around, I wanted to do even more.

That inside gym in Gardena, California ain’t seen any love since I was there in elementary school. It was the same hard court I dribbled on as a kid. The same walls and everything.

And we’re about to upgrade and overhaul the whole thing. 

A whole new Rowley Park, that’s gonna last for years to come. 

It’s gonna have “TUFF CROWD” on the baselines. My dog logo at the center court. The Curry splash logo with the barbwire in the key. And on the sidelines, it says “Change The Game For Good.”

11:11 is all about timing. All about balance. All about alignment, and things working out for you when your energy is right. 

The “011” on the hardwood means it’s the 11th court that Curry Brand has helped to re-do and upgrade since 2020. That’s timing right there.

We’re gonna kick the gym re-opening off with a basketball camp for kids. And then let my hometown get a first crack at copping the whole Tuff Crowd x Curry Brand collection. It’s gonna be one of the proudest days ever. 

All of this is as full circle as it gets for me. I’m hoping it shows the power of what players can provide for the communities that built them and supported them on their journey to somewhere as amazing as the Association. And how you can continue to find new passions in life, like being a clothing designer, or even a co-host on a basketball show. 

It also shows how impact isn’t just about launching some fresh black and red shoes and some hard clothes — it’s also about leaving something real for the kids coming up next. 

The kids from Compton and Gardena that need to know they can find their path in life. They can power through any situation they’re faced with. They can channel that Tuff Crowd mindset and keep going. 

The post The Most Impactful Collaboration The League Has Ever Seen  appeared first on SLAM.

I remember getting that text in 2018, shortly after I came back to the Bucks for a brief time. I was hosting a team party at my house in Los Angeles and invited everybody on the squad. And Giannis, who’s a star by then, hits me up to ask if it’s OK if he comes through. Giannis! I’m like, “Hell yeah! Of course!”

That’s just who Giannis is. He’s one of the humblest people I’ve ever met. You can just tell he’s very grateful for everything. When he was walking out of my house after the party ended, he was like, Yo, BJ! Crazy party. Crazyyy party! It’s little moments like that. Giannis being Giannis. 

SLAM 234 featuring Giannis Antetokounmpo is available now!

He and I connected a bit during that 2017-18 season. After I left the Bucks and he became an MVP, he showed up to the Drew League in L.A. when I was hooping. He watched the game and we talked for a bit. I always wanted to respect his peace but was tuned in and rooting for him along the way. He was one of the best players in the League by 2018 but was still coming into his own as a leader. I think these last couple of years he’s probably become more vocal than he was. I mean, we all saw in the playoffs, when he was in the huddle screaming at his teammates to motivate them and stuff like that. He wasn’t really like that when I was there, but that’s just growth. That’s just becoming more comfortable. To me, he was always trying to learn and get better. Always. His work ethic really stood out to me. He was showing up to the gym early and would be the last person to leave. Everything was consistent. That’s one thing I’ve always admired about him—that consistency.

From day one, even when we weren’t teammates [Giannis’ rookie season in Milwaukee was the first season Brandon played for Detroit after four seasons with the Bucks.—Ed.], I could tell Giannis had potential. I remember playing against him during his first few years when I was with the Pistons. Learning about his history and how long he had been playing ball, I knew he had a chance to be great. I have to mention, though, because I was re-watching old highlights recently—I was reminded of this play from my time in Detroit. I stole the ball, had a breakaway and dunked it when Giannis was trying to block it. Then I looked back at him. So yeah, that was my one dunk on the Greek Freak. I’ll take it. 

Now that same guy—the one who once texted me for permission to come to my party—just brought a championship to the city of Milwaukee. Not just that, but in my opinion, he’s become the best player in the world. A two-time MVP. The 2020 Defensive Player of the Year. 

An NBA Champion.

The 2021 Finals MVP. 

I was very grateful for the opportunity to witness those latest accomplishments in person. Being at Game 6—it was indescribable. The emotions, the excitement, the energy, 65,000 people outside. It was the first time I had been to the new arena. I had never seen the city that turnt. Going to the game, I was looking at all the Giannis jerseys and joking with my girl, like, “Wow, those used to be my jerseys.” It was surreal.

Truth is—those courtside seats were supposed to be for Kanye. Two hours before tipoff, he told them he couldn’t make it, so they ended up giving them to me. I was just, like, “Yo, it’s lit!” I had been stuck at home because of COVID and working hard on my brand, Tuff Crowd, so that was my first NBA game all year. I was just soaking up the moment—sitting next to Dave Chappelle, connecting with the fans, and, of course, cheering for the squad. 

The atmosphere in that arena was insane. It really took me back. It brought back some incredible memories. While I was sitting there, in my mind, I thought about my 55-point night as a rookie against Golden State. I thought about my game-winning three against Cleveland. I thought about us being down 0-2 against Atlanta, returning to the Bradley Center and winning Games 3 and 4. I thought about those special times when the city was alive.

When I first came to Milwaukee in 2009, the Bucks hadn’t made the playoffs for three straight seasons. I came in with a lot of fire because I didn’t get to play a lot the year before when I was in Italy. I had a lot to prove entering the League. I had a chip on my shoulder. And I was talking crazy. I don’t know if Milwaukee knew what they were getting with me. I just know that those first handful of games when I came out, was rocking with the crowd and had all those different hairstyles—I just felt like an early trendsetter. It felt like the start of a new era in Milwaukee. 

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And I felt a strong bond with the city immediately. What’s crazy is, during my first few seasons, I didn’t even go back to my hometown in Los Angeles. I stayed in Milwaukee for the summer and everything. I was living there all throughout the year, just being around the city and getting involved in the community. My years in Milwaukee were about more than just basketball. The fans were so loyal. We made the playoffs twice while I was there, so I had a pretty good four-year run before being traded to the Pistons. I was able to leave a little mark. And to see how the culture has continued to grow—you know, that “Bucks in 6” culture. It’s amazing. What a time to be alive right now.

To me, “Bucks in 6” is not just an expression—it’s a mindset. It defines the city of Milwaukee. It’s an approach to battle. The harder you work during peace, the less you bleed during war. When you’re battling and you’re down, no matter what, you gotta keep fighting and keep pushing through that wall. Because you just never know. When I said it back in the day, people thought I was crazy. We were the No. 8 seed playing LeBron James and the Heat—the best team in the world. The future champs. But I had this mindset of just keep fighting. That’s that blue-collar, Milwaukee mindset. Obviously, you’re not going to say you’re going to lose at anything in life. We’re always trying to win. Sometimes it’s going to be harder, if we’re being realistic. But I’m not going to say we’re going to lose. Ever.

This Bucks squad had that mindset this season. And now they’re champions. The parade—man, that was ridiculous. I initially thought I was getting on the team bus. They were like, “Nah, we got you your own car.” So in my head, I’m like, “Oh, shit! Okay, let’s do this.” I could hear the “Bucks in 6” chants from the crowd. We hit that first corner and someone tossed me my first beer. I drank it and chucked it. The fans were just going nuts. By the time we got toward downtown, I was already, like, 10 beers in. Everybody who was tailgating and celebrating just kept giving me beers. And I kept drinking them and kept chucking them. I almost threw up, like, twice to be honest. It’s like, “Bro, I’m on my 15th one. I’m tired.” By the time we got to the speeches, I had drunk about 20 beers. I was done. 

But overall, I had an amazing time. I was so thankful to be a part of that celebration with the city, and to have the fans embrace me. Partying with PJ Tucker was wild, too. After the parade, we were getting drunk at some water park bar. It was unreal, enjoying those moments with the entire team. Hopefully I can develop an even stronger connection to the organization going forward. My dream is to become creative director, so we’ll see…

I also have to shout out Giannis for repping Tuff Crowd at the parade. That was really big for me given how hard I’ve been working on the brand. I actually gave that stuff to Giannis before Game 6. I gave him, PJ Tucker and Jrue Holiday a little package. But Giannis putting it on for that day, for the championship celebration, that’s history. That meant a lot to me and shows the type of respect that he has for me. And I got the same for him. 

For Giannis, I got one message: Just keep going. Keep God first. And I’ll say it again—the harder you work during peace, the less you bleed during war. Stay on that path. And become more than basketball. 

Lastly, to the faithful Bucks nation: 50 years. The drought is over. This is what you waited on. This is what you wanted. Now it’s time to take that same energy and keep bringing it every year. Because once you’re a champion, you’re forever a champion. You can’t turn down now.

It’s still, and always will be, Bucks in 6. 

SLAM 234 is available now in these exclusive Gold and Black Metal Editions.

Photos via Getty Images.

The post Brandon Jennings on Giannis’ Rise, the 2021 Championship and Being a Part of History appeared first on SLAM.