With Lady Liberty overlooking the court, 22 high school basketball players from across the globe went head-to-head to earn the title of “The One” under the scenic sunset on the rooftop Pier 17 in New York City.
The One is an annual tournament hosted by Jordan Brand that draws inspiration from Michael Jordan‘s own backyard battles. Those constant clashes would stoke the competitive fire that became synonymous with his name and would become a foundational piece for his methodical and unrelenting style of play.
“You’re seeing the culmination of city-based one-on-one battles from all around the world, where folks were going at each other, pushing and testing themselves in the ultimate kind of example of iron sharpens iron,” Dave Schechter, VP/GM, Jordan Brand North America, told Newsweek ahead of the tournament. “The inspiration comes from when MJ used to go up against his brother, Larry. Larry was stronger, bigger, and Michael knew that to get to his best, he had to go against elite competitors, even when it was at home, and Larry did not take it easy on him.”
“So that work ethic is something that is really important to us as a brand, and it’s also important to MJ and there is no finer setting for that than something like a battle, like a one-on-one tournament. Starting from Paris last year and then into this year, learning from what worked, expanding it, making it even better, we think we’ve got an incredible platform, the greatest basketball city on Earth,” he continued.
Competition is etched in the DNA of Jordan Brand. For 40 years, the company has been the physical manifestation of the dominance of Michael Jordan, both on the court and in the larger culture. In the two decades since His Airness last touched the hardwood, the team is still finding ways to elevate and celebrate the legacy of one of the game’s most storied players.
“We’re celebrating 40 years of the AJ1 this year. Most young folks who love the brand, they never saw MJ play. So this gives the kids an opportunity to interact with the brand in their own way and to define it in their own terms,” Schechter added.
Schechter also highlighted how the tournament helps young players to decide their own destiny by showcasing their talents on the global stage.
“So many young people today are unfairly characterized as having it too easy, that they don’t work hard, that they are lazy, that they spend all their time doing other things, but these platforms give everybody the opportunity to see how hard kids work today. I think every generation says that about the next one that they have it easy. It’s not easy in today’s world, and there’s no better way of being able to illustrate that, than head-to-head competition. There’s no hiding. It’s just you against your opponent,” he said.
After a round of qualifiers set in more than 17 cities across the globe, including Paris, Tokyo, Belgrade, and Chicago, the winners traveled to the Big Apple—all with the same goal: to be crowned “The One.”
Not only does that title come with the bragging rights, but the winners also receive a one-year contract with Jordan Brand, a special Nike Destroyer jacket, a featured spot in campaigns throughout the year, and $10,000 in apparel and footwear. They join a stacked lineup that includes NBA Champion Jayson Tatum; NBA All-Stars like Luka Doncic, Paolo Banchero, and Zion Williamson; and WNBA All-Stars like Napheesa Collier, Rhyne Howard, and Dearica Hamby.
But how did “The One” go about earning those honors?
A series of play-in rounds, followed by knockout rounds, would go on to set the stage for the final matchups on the boys’ and girls’ sides. Each matchup was played to eight minutes or until one player reached the target score of 23. Tie games would be decided by sudden death, where the first person to score wins the round. The celebration concluded with another set of battles, but this time on the turntables, with a selection of DJs from all over the world going face-to-face to earn a title of their own.
As the sun set and the games grew more intense, so did the red lights that bathed the court, emblazoned with Michael’s legendary Jumpman logo. The energy throughout the tournament was palpable, coursing with the infectious fun of NYC’s legendary playground basketball scene. Mostly New York hip-hop soundtracked the epic battles, Mobb Deep, Cardi B, and Jay-Z echoed through the rooftop, often drowned out by the sounds of astonished “oohs” and “ahhs.” New York natives Lola Brooke and A Boogie Wit da Hoodie took to the stage as well. At times, the DJ would shut off the music pulsating across the rooftop to heighten the tense games with the sound of a thumping heartbeat.
One-on-one basketball requires a different level of tenacity and the will to overcome any opponent, despite whatever advantages they may have. Some players struggled against the size of bigger and stronger players, while others craftily created space with deft footwork and manipulation.
Defensive intensity was key in securing a victory. Taia McMechan from Melbourne took the bigger Addison Uphoff by surprise and got off to an 11-0 start before Uphoff went on a run of her own to tie the game at 16 apiece. The game was decided by a sudden-death bucket from McMechan, sending the Aussie to the finals.
Women’s basketball icon and activist Maya Moore made an appearance during a break in the action, where she was honored by Jordan Brand alongside some of the brand’s younger women hoopers, like last year’s winner of “The One,” Tatianna Griffin, and UCLA star Kiki Rice.
The entire tournament was filled with spectacles. A drone show honoring Jordan Brand legends took over the New York City skyline with the outstretched arms of Michael Jordan, Maya Moore, and Carmelo Anthony shining over the East River.
An intense defensive matchup in the boys’ semifinals round ended in another sudden-death round that stilled the entire crowd while sending LA’s Terron Williams to the finals. Though held outside, the air didn’t come back onto the court until rap star Don Toliver took the stage to alleviate the tension.
The girls’ final featured a fiery matchup between Taia McMechan from Melbourne and Rose Simpson from New York City. McMechan’s hard-nosed defense could not stop Simpson’s tough shotmaking from taking the crown. Before Simpson could be crowned as “The One,” supporters rushed the court in celebration of the hometown champion.
Even after being crowned The One, Simpson remained humbled and espoused praise for McMechan’s “amazing” defense. In order to will herself to victory, it all came down to one thing: self-confidence. “I had to believe in myself. I had to tell myself ‘I’m The One.’ I wrote it on my shoes: ‘It is within you. You are The One.’ And I am now,” she told Newsweek.
The boy’s final matchup showcased Zein Osman, also from Melbourne, taking on Terron Williams of Los Angeles. Williams took absolute control in the Bboys’ final matchup, getting out to an 18-0 start before Osman scored. Williams dominated on route to being crowned “The One” for the boys’ side, and it was the only game to hit the target score of 23.
Williams described himself as “fearless” when asked about his trip to the finals. “It came from staying in the gym, putting in the work, and giving it your all,” he said.
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