If you’re relatively new to basketball, commentaries from the announcers can often leave you scratching your head.
You’ll have to become familiar with terms such as pick-and-roll, alley-oop, triple-double and so on.
Another of those terms you’ll often come across them say is “and 1”.
It is often misunderstood as “n1” or “m1” by newbies unfamiliar with basketball lingo. Don’t worry, that was me once upon a time.
What is interesting about the term is two specific events must occur in a very short time span, almost instantaneously.
Yet it happens quite often in every game.
And what are these two specific events, you ask? The answer is hidden in the definition…
What does And 1 mean in basketball?
And 1 means a basket plus a free throw. The free throw is awarded to a player who was just fouled while scoring on a field goal attempt. The player can earn an extra point on a play that would normally yield only 2 or 3 points without the foul call.
If it’s not clear to you yet, let me explain exactly when to expect the announcer to shout “And 1” and how the player can collect more points on the play.
And 1: Sequence of Events
| And-1 Event Sequence | |
|---|---|
| 1 | Player scores a basket either by from a 2-point or 3-point field goal attempt |
| 2 | Referee signals a foul on the defender |
| 3 | TV Announcer yells “And-1” once the field goal drops (successful bucket) |
| 4 | Player is awarded a free throw |
| 5 | Player scores on the free throw resulting in a successful “And-1” attempt |
And for the sticklers who just read my list and said to themselves “Actually…”.
It’s also possible that the referee will call the foul first, followed by the player attempting their shot and scoring.
As a note, you cannot have an “And 1” if the player misses the field goal while getting fouled.
And if that’s the case, the player will get the exact number of free throws for the number of points they attempted to score on the play prior.
So, if the player were to shoot a 3-pointer and missed, they will be rewarded with three free throws on the play.
Where does the term And 1 come from?
I’ve searched far and wide for the origin of the And 1 expression and couldn’t pinpoint it to anyone nor an exact date.
To the very best of my knowledge, TV announcers have been using it since at least the 80s or early 90s.
The And 1 Footwear and Clothing Company was established back in 1993 based on the term, so we know it must have been popularized before then.
Another way some TV announcers describe “And 1” is by saying the player got the “hoop and harm”.
Hoop for scoring the basket on the play.
Harm for getting fouled during the shot attempt and being awarded with the free throw.
TV announcers typically come up with these catchy expressions to described event(s) that occur on the court.
As mentioned earlier, the occurrence of 3-point plays involving a basket plus a free throw is quite common in NBA games.
It will happen 100s, if not, 1000s of times throughout the NBA season.
Unfortunately, the league does not track these stats, which makes it nearly impossible to validate the all-time leader.
Think about it. You’d have to distinguish between free throws awarded for missed field goals versus successful ones.
Only those single free throws which followed the made field goal can count towards completed and 1 points.
Who's going to sift through all the NBA video footage to get that stat?
Leave it up to an NBA stat freak to track it down. If so, I hope there’s also someone to corroborate their research.
All this to say is no one knows for certain who’s the cream of the crop when it comes to “And 1” situations.
But there are some folks who’ve monitored the leaders of a rarer feat known as the 4-point play!
These are the players who’ve scored on a 3-point attempt and the subsequent free throw.
4-Point Play Leaders (3-Pointer + successful And 1)
| Player Name | # of 4-Point Plays | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jamal Crawford | 54 |
| 2 | James Harden | 36 |
| 3 | J.J. Redick | 25 |
| 4 | Reggie Miller | 23 |
| 5 | Steph Curry | 17 |
| 6 | Kobe Bryant | 17 |
| 7 | Kevin Durant | 14 |
| 8 | Dirk Nowitzki | 14 |
| 9 | Ray Allen | 13 |
| 10 | Allen Iverson | 10 |
Final Thoughts
Plays that involve the announcer screaming “And 1” usually stems from the shooter displaying phenomenal athleticism and shooting capability.
Not only did the shooter manage the bucket but did so under duress from the opposition, resulting in a drawn personal foul.
Some of the most dazzling “and 1” plays come off a blocking foul, where the defender purposely interferes on the shot attempt.
On the other hand, “And 1” plays resulting from three-point attempts have had their fair share of criticism.
If the shooter contacts the defender during the jump shot, the defender will be called for the foul.
So, you can imagine the shooter constantly looking to initiate contact to get the call.
Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors was a master of doing so.
In the end, the NBA cracked down on this loophole as the defender cannot shift gears mid-jump while the shooter purposely bumps into them.
The following video illustrates the “no-call” rule in place for Curry’s shenanigans:
Here’s my recommendation for this type of play.
If deliberate, the shooter should surrender possession rather than be rewarded with free throws.
Personally, I prefer seeing players earning the “and 1” just after a shot attempt that defied all odds.
