PA-based AND 1 has signed former Univ. of KS F Raef
LaFrentz and former St. Louis Univ. F Larry Hughes to
endorsement agreements. AND 1 Founder & President Seth
Berger: "With other footwear companies cutting back on
endorsers, we saw a great opportunity for AND 1 to be more
aggressive in gaining greater on-court visibility in the
NBA." Both athletes are represented by FAME (AND 1).
BRANDWEEK's Terry Lefton reports that while Berger would not
disclose terms of the deals, he said the company is paying
them "well by this year's standards, but two or three years
ago, this kind of money would get you a bottom five first-
rounder." Lefton adds that AND 1 is "close" to a deal with
former Univ. of MI C Robert Traylor (BRANDWEEK, 6/22 issue).
MAR-BURIED: Lefton also reports that T-Wolves G Stephon
Marbury leaves AND 1 "after two years as its lead endorser."
Lefton: "Expect this thing to get legal soon. Relations
with agent Eric Fleisher became strained to the point where
AND 1 terminated the deal." AND 1's Berger, on Marbury: "To
have so much of your brand wrapped up in something you can't
depend on just puts your brand in a very precarious
situation." Lefton adds that Nike, which could "creatively
pair" Marbury with T-Wolves teammate Kevin Garnett, is "long
rumored to be waiting in the wings" for Marbury. Puma "is
another possibility" (BRANDWEEK, 6/22 issue).
