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The brand · Est. 2007

More than just the game of basketball

We represent a movement we consider to be TIMELESS.

BBALL JUNKIES is a lifestyle brand committed to delivering PREMIUM products which represent a signature STYLE. Inspired by basketball culture with an emphasis on CLASSIC design, our concepts are communicated through our EXCLUSIVE product line. Rooted in southern California and Established in 2007, our brand represents more than just the game of basketball. We represent a movement that we consider to be TIMELESS.

Verbatim · BBALL JUNKIES, /about

Three basketball rims, still netted, stood side by side against a wall in the shop.
Three rims, netted
The BBJ three-ring icon painted the width of the key on a dark gym floor, a pick-up run going on beyond it under the backboard.
The icon, at full size

The mark · an icon is born

The three BBJ rings

The BBJ icon is made up of three rings joined together to symbolize unity and camaraderie. Each ring represents a letter in the acronym B-B-J, with the primary marks made up of a hoop, free-throw circle, and a basketball. The order in which the rings align signifies the forward progression of shooting a free throw.

The BBALL JUNKIES markCreated in 2007

  1. 01The hoop

    Ten feet up and eighteen inches across. Every shot in the game is aimed at it.

  2. 02The free-throw circle

    Fifteen feet out: the one shot nobody defends. It is drawn the way a floor is really painted, solid on the shooter’s side and dashed where it crosses the lane.

  3. 03The basketball

    The ball itself. Slide the three together and you have the BBJ icon.

Printed by hand

Printing since 2002

Self-taught, self-funded

BBall Junkies existed as a print shop before it was ever a brand. Years of referral jobs paid for the first batch of BBJ t-shirts.

Rob Hernandez taught himself how to screen print back in 2002 from a book called How To Print T-Shirts For Fun and Profit using DIY equipment bought on Craigslist. These were the days before YouTube videos existed. One day he attended a trade show and upgraded to professional gear with hopes of starting a business. For the next few years he printed for friends and family on the side, while still working a full-time job. Eventually he took profits from those print jobs and funded BBall Junkies in 2007. Since then, the method hasn’t changed: the product line is still hand silk-screened in-house, made in Southern California.

There really wasn’t a brand out there that really spoke to me in terms of the stuff I was in to or inspired by. So I made my own shit and called it BBall Junkies.
Rob Hernandez · Founder / Owner
Our valuesQualityService
A story of a shirt · Voiced by Bobbito Garcia
A printer lifting the screen off a freshly printed shirt on the press, the BBJ mark showing in reverse on the underside of the screen above.

The basketball concept store

Anaheim, California

BBJ Locker Room (from 2017–2022)

The shop was created with the idea of providing a retail, gallery, and event space to build a community around basketball culture and to celebrate all things basketball, streetwear, sneakers, art, and music. It was the first independent basketball concept store and print shop in Southern California.

The Locker Room retail floor: tees laid out on a display table built from court parquet, lockers racked with garments, hoops and artwork along the walls.
01 · The retail floor
The shop floor under a working scoreboard: sneakers on wall shelves, caps and folded tees on a parquet-topped table, fleece on a rail, and a court bench across the foreground.
02 · Under the scoreboard
Navy tees carrying the BBJ three-ring icon riding the belt out of the conveyor dryer, a red print behind them and a wall of framed posters beyond.
03 · Off the dryer
The three blue steel lockers pulled back to show the chalkboard beside them, a B jersey, a varsity jacket and a hoodie on the rails, framed court photographs above, a court bench in front and three netted hoops standing on the floor.
04 · The lockers
BBJ Locker Room

3482 E. Orangethorpe Avenue, Anaheim, CA 92806

Retail counter · Print floor · Gallery

BBJ Locker Room officially closed down in 2022

The BBJ Locker Room storefront, the BBJ crest-and-hoop sign mounted on the wall above the shop windows.
The BBJ Locker Room · Anaheim, CA
Hit us up

The timeline

1995–Current10 entries

The BBall Junkies story

Over thirty years of dreaming and hustling. The founder tells the story, in his own words.

  1. 1995

    The idea and concept for the name “BBALL JUNKIES” was born. I was paying homage to all the b-ball players that I grew up playing with throughout the years. The first ever documented reference to the name was made in my high school yearbook back in 1995.

  2. 1996

    Started assembling basketball teams to compete in recreation leagues and tournaments throughout Southern California under the name BBALL JUNKIES. The camaraderie gained from playing together developed the DNA for what BBALL JUNKIES stood for.

  3. 2003

    After purchasing screen printing equipment in 2002, the first BBJ t-shirt design was printed and sold out of the trunk of my car in 2003. Gave t-shirts to friends and family to spread the word.

  4. 2007

    To help identify the brand, the BBJ icon logo was made. The business was established with both the wordmark and logo trademarked with the USPTO in 2007.

  5. 2009–2010

    The BBJ icon was featured in the video game NBA2K9 being worn by Bobbito Garcia during the dunk contest mode. The icon appeared once again the following year on NBA2K10.

  1. 2014–2015

    BBALL JUNKIES was incorporated in 2014. We hosted our first basketball tournament at the MAP Sports Facility called “Sole in the Hole”. In 2015, introduced Bobbito Garcia’s Full Court 21 qualifier to Los Angeles. Collaborated with our friends at Footlong Development to bring live screen printing on site for their events called Soul Slam and Wonderfull.

  2. 2016

    Created the BBALL JUNKIES pop-up shop in Brea, CA, a retail, gallery, and event space to build a community around basketball culture. One of the first events was in partnership with Kohjiro Kinno to bring “Post Up: Basketball Photography Edition 1”, showcasing 20+ photographers including Walter Iooss, Andrew Bernstein, and Nathaniel Butler.

  3. 2017

    To celebrate BBALL JUNKIES 10-year anniversary the pop-up shop was relocated to Anaheim, CA and nicknamed the BBJ Locker Room. It was the first independent basketball concept store / print shop in Southern California. Self funded, with help from friends and family.

  4. 2021–2022

    BBJ Locker Room officially closes down due to the effects of the pandemic. There was an increased need for custom screen printed merchandise. Decided to pivot and expand the growth and development of the print operations. Relocated to a new location in Fullerton, CA and launched a new print shop under the name Substrate Print + Supply.

  5. Current

    Continue the BBALL JUNKIES legacy. Expand the operations for Substrate Print + Supply. Plan to celebrate BBALL JUNKIES 20-year anniversary in 2027.

The marks

7 marks

The evolution of the brand marks

A collection of BBALL JUNKIES logos throughout the years showcases our design language and aesthetic. As new designs are created, we believe in the approach that less is more.

  • BBJ over a basketball net.
  • BBJ over a basketball net, crossed by two long rules, one solid and one dashed, with the three-circle icon to the left and EST.07 to the right.
  • A solid round emblem: BBALL JUNKIES arched over the top, EST. 2007 along the bottom, and BBJ over a net knocked out of the middle.
  • BBJ set across the middle of a basketball.
  • A roundel with ATHLETICS arched above and DIVISION below, and BBJ knocked out of a solid basketball in the middle.
  • A varsity B drawn in outline, with a dashed stitch line running just inside its edge and around both counters.
  • BBALL above and JUNKIES below, inside a diamond, with the three-circle icon between them, ESTD and 2007 either side, and COMMITTED TO EXCELLENCE beneath.

The lookbook

56 frames2018–20265 undated

Photos by Kohjiro Kinno

Shop the catalog

A curated collection of photographs showcasing our product line and brand identity.

A lone player following through on a jump shot toward a beachside hoop, the ball high in the air, a lifeguard tower on the sand beyond.
A player dribbling low on a beachside court in a white BBJ tee and dark pants, his long shadow thrown across the painted lines.
A close crop of a player in the BBJ Space & Time tee working the ball at his hip against a low sun, beach houses along the horizon.
A player spinning a leather ball on one finger in a white BBJ tee, a beachside hoop and a lifeguard tower behind him.
A player leaning one foot up against a white block wall with a ball under his arm, in a white BBJ tee and dark pants.
A player looking down at the ball in his hands, in a black BBALL JUNKIES crewneck, the sand and the sea soft behind him.
A player grinning down at a ball in a white BBJ crest tee and a chain, beach houses out of focus behind him.
A close crop of the black BBALL JUNKIES All League long sleeve — chest label and sleeve print — a leather ball cradled in both hands.
A player seen from behind driving with the ball, the BBJ shield printed across the back of a black tee, a beach court beyond.
A player seen through a chain-link fence in sunglasses, the black For Lovers tee and white BBALL JUNKIES shorts.
A player standing against a white block wall with a ball at his feet, in the black For Lovers tee and white BBALL JUNKIES shorts.
A player in mirrored shades laughing mid-dribble in the black All League long sleeve, beach houses out of focus behind him.
Four players lined up under a beachside hoop in BBJ tees and shorts, the ocean flat behind them.
Five players lined up under a beachside hoop in BBJ tees, crewnecks and shorts, one holding a ball.
The court from directly overhead: two players and a loose ball on the painted key, their shadows running long across the asphalt.
A beachside court seen from above, four players spread across the key, the sand and the surf beyond it.
A beachside court from above, four players spaced along the baseline under a single hoop, the ocean behind.
The court from overhead at an angle: three players and their long shadows inside the painted three-point arc.
A beachside court from directly overhead, three players and their long shadows across the painted key, the sand at the court’s edge.
A player in mirrored shades crossing the ball over low, in a black All League long sleeve and white shorts, the beach behind him.
A player seen from behind at the free-throw line, the All League crest on his back, the ball bouncing beside his shadow.
A player squared up with the ball at his hip under a beachside hoop, in a white BBJ crest tee and black shorts.
A player sitting in the hoop itself, legs through the net, spinning a ball on one finger — shot from directly below the backboard.
Three players on a beachside court, one perched up on the backboard, the two below with a ball and a milk crate.
Three players under a beachside hoop, one perched on the backboard, one rising for a dunk against the sky.
A player in mirrored shades seated with a leather ball on his knee, in the gray BBALL JUNKIES hoodie.
Three players sitting on a block wall against the sky, in BBJ tees and the gray BBALL JUNKIES hoodie, one holding a ball.
A player in mirrored shades dribbling toward the camera in the gray BBALL JUNKIES hoodie, palm trees soft behind him.
A player dribbling toward the camera along a white block wall, in a gray long sleeve and black pants.
A silhouette of a player rising for a one-handed dunk on a beachside hoop, against a flat sky.
A player in mid-air with the ball in both hands, coming off a jump under a beachside hoop against the sky.
A player rising toward the rim with the ball, shot from below against a clear sky, a second hoop on the horizon.
Two beachside hoops standing over an empty painted court, the surf breaking beyond.
A player standing at the center circle of a beachside court holding a ball, in the black BBJ Space & Time tee, two hoops behind him.
A player rising into a jump shot on a seaside court, in a white BBJ shirt with a chenille B on the chest and black mesh shorts.
A player in the air with the ball cocked behind his head, in a long-sleeve BBJ tee and mesh shorts, the rim above him.
A player standing on an outdoor court holding a ball, in a BBJ B-logo jersey, backboards behind him.
BBALL JUNKIES mesh shorts worn under a black crewneck, the three-ball mark on one leg and the wordmark on the other.
The chenille B hoodie worn head-down against a flat sky, both hands at the drawstrings.
Two players standing together on an overcast beach, one in a BBALL JUNKIES warm-up jacket, the other in a hoodie carrying the chenille B.
Two players under a backboard on an outdoor court, one in a BBALL JUNKIES warm-up jacket and mesh shorts, the other in a B-logo hoodie, a worn leather ball on the ground between them.
A leather BBJ basketball — the crest and Est. 07 stamped into the panel — held against a black jersey.
A player leaning against a cinder-block wall with a ball under his arm, in a black B-logo hoodie and BBALL JUNKIES shorts.
A player crouched on a milk crate against a chain-link fence, tying a shoe, in a BBJ tee.
The back of the Morphing Zone Defense tee at a chain-link fence — a zone-defense play drawn across the shoulders.
A player mid-air reaching for a loose ball, in a black BBJ tee and white BBJ shorts.
Two players walking across an empty court, one carrying a ball, one wearing the BBJ Authentic Varsity Jacket.
The BBJ Authentic Varsity Jacket — melton wool with leather sleeves and a chenille B patch — worn open over the BBJ crest tee.
A player spinning a ball on one finger at the center circle of an outdoor court, in the BBJ varsity jacket.
Four figures standing under a portable hoop against a blown-out white sky, in BBJ tees and crewnecks.
A player dribbling down an empty street with the downtown Los Angeles skyline behind him, in a gray BBJ crewneck.
A player caught at the top of a jump on an empty street, ball held out at arm’s length, the Los Angeles skyline behind him.
A ball spun up off one finger, the thrower in a burgundy tee carrying the BBJ three-ball mark at the chest.
A worn leather ball set down between a pair of high-tops, BBJ crest socks pulled up over the ankles.
A player crouched into a defensive stance under a freeway underpass, in a burgundy tee carrying the BBJ three-ball mark.
A player working the ball low on an outdoor court, in a burgundy BBJ tee and black shorts.

0156Lookbook 2026

The origin story

Rob Hernandez

Founder / Owner

It was the summer of 1987, our family had just moved to Buena Park from San Diego. I was introduced to the Show Time Lakers ’cause my dad had me record all the games since he worked night shift. I was forced to watch every game, because I had to edit out all the commercials in between. That’s when I really got to see Kareem, Worthy, Coop, Byron, AC, and Magic do their thing. I wanted to be like Magic. I never really played basketball until that summer when my Dad installed a backboard he bought from Sears. I remember practicing in my backyard, shooting over empty chairs and ladders until it got dark. That’s when I fell in love with the game.

Fast forward to 1995, the idea for the name “BBall Junkies” was born. After high school, I put together teams kinda like the Bones Brigade of the 80’s, to play in local Rec Leagues and Tournaments all over SoCal. The teams I played with were really special to me because of the camaraderie and brotherhood we shared helped develop the DNA for what BBJ stood for. At that time I was inspired by 90’s hip-hop, graffiti art, sneaker culture, and streetwear of the 80’s & 90’s. There really wasn’t a brand out there that really spoke to me in terms of the stuff I was in to or inspired by. So I made my own shit and called it BBall Junkies.

Rob Hernandez in a close black-and-white portrait in front of a graffiti wall, a BBJ cap worn low.

Screen Print Direct interview

October 24, 2019

Read it at Screen Print Direct
  1. 01

    So, Rob what initially got you interested in the world of screen printing/apparel?

    Well I always loved the idea of having my own apparel brand when I was a kid and basketball was such a huge influence in my life so creating a lifestyle brand inspired by basketball culture is something I knew I wanted to do.

    I picked up a book back in '02 called "How To Print T-Shirts For Fun and Profit" by Scott Fresener. This helped me teach myself how to screen print using some cheap DIY equipment. A few months after that I attended the ISS trade show and decided to invest money into better equipment and brought home everything I needed to properly run a small shop. I got a great deal on the equipment since at trade shows companies rather not ship back all the equipment they bring since it is costly for them to ship things back.

    From there I printed orders for friends and family and my business kept expanding. I was working a normal job at the same time I was taking in screen printing orders. All my business was through referrals or word of mouth since I never spent any money advertising. I eventually ended up taking some of the profits from my print jobs and founded BBall Junkies.

  2. 02

    What's important for your work as the owner of your own shop, like what really matters to you more in terms of business?

    For me, the two important factors are Quality and Service. With everything I do, I want to make sure my customer is taken care of and the quality of the products they are receiving from me are beyond their expectations.

  3. 03

    Are there any shops you look up to for inspiration or really thank for getting you involved in this lifestyle?

    I actually took screen printing at Fullerton College and would say my professor Sam Karaba was a good inspirational figure for me as well as Tom from Showoff Designs. Those two were my biggest inspirations early in my development. There are also a number of brands that I follow that really inspire me, but one that really stood out to me early on was Hit+Run with their live screen printing concept. I think they have a great business model.

  4. 04

    Since you started screen printing, have you had any close calls or orders that have gone wrong?

    Actually yea early on I made a mistake on one of my film separations where I didn't include all of the design in the spot color. I burned the screen and ran about 50 shirts before I realized the Tiger in the graphic was missing a small part of white on its stomach, lol. Another mistake was an under cured t-shirt. A customer came back with their print cracked after the first wash. I ended up giving their money back and replaced the printed T-shirt for free.

  5. 05

    Now that you have Bball Junkies up and running are there any goals you have for the upcoming years?

    Yea man, I'll be looking to expand my business from a designing and printing standpoint. Also I'll be looking to expand my product line for my brand BBall Junkies, with new seasons twice per year. With that, I will be looking to hire a shop manager to help me run the day-to-day.

  6. 06

    Are there any last tips and tricks you would give someone trying to get into the business?

    I would say take a formal screen printing course or workshop, visit some screen printing shops before you decide to open up a business. If possible, work at a shop to get an idea of how things are done, and visit the ISS trade show.

The catalog

The BBJ Authentic Varsity Jacket — melton wool with leather sleeves and a chenille B patch — worn open over the BBJ crest tee, from the summer 2021 lookbook.
The Varsity Jacket · Summer 2021

Produced in limited quantities — in some cases made-to-order — and only available on our website.

  • Quality goods
  • Hand silk-screened in-house in Southern California
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