June 24, 2024
Harlem Globetrotter Alexis Morris Seeks To Empower Women As AND1’s First Female Ambassador
'There is a continuous need for female representation in sports and especially street culture.'
Harlem Globetrotter Alexis Morris is the first female ambassador for basketball apparel and sneaker brand AND1. The 2023 NCAA champion aims to empower women, inspire youth, and break barriers in sports and streetball.
As the brand’s first and only female signee, Morris will participate in community events and support initiatives celebrating women in sports. According to Footwear News, the AND1 team believes Morris’ story aligns with the brand’s DNA and will inspire young women to pursue basketball.
“AND1 is a movement powered by Black people, Black culture, inner cities, and urban basketball,” the guard told Andscape between workouts on June 23 at the brand’s annual Open Run event in New York. “I am all of those things.”
She views this partnership as a homecoming. Morris grew up in Beaumont, Texas, with limited resources and had to fight for her spot on the streetball court full of boys.
The deal allows Morris to design her signature collection while empowering Black athletes and creators.
“There is a continuous need for female representation in sports and especially street culture,” said Morris, who attended Louisiana State University. “People try to push out street culture, but it’s the foundation of what started basketball. It’s the swag.” She also plans to showcase a more androgynous style: “You don’t have to be the girliest of the girls to wear my collection,” she said.
Additionally, Morris is exploring NIL deals under her brand with AND1 and seeking the first female athlete to join her team. She’s also looking forward to join the WNBA. Morris was drafted by the Connecticut Sun but was cut during the 2023 preseason. Instead, she made her pro debut as a Harlem Globetrotter in February as part of the team’s 2024 World Tour.
Playing in the WNBA will give her the opportunity to live out her childhood dream. If she can make the W, she hopes the league will embrace the street culture vibe and all the streetball moves she’s mastered as a Harlem Globetrotter.
RELATED CONTENT: WNBA Sees Highest Attendance Record In 26 Years Within First Month Of Season