The kids at East Side Community School have a new basketball court to call home, thanks to the NBA Finals MVP.
The Kevin Durant Charity Foundation, operated by the Golden State Warriors superstar, funded the renovations for the new basketball court at ESCS. They installed new grounds, backboards, hoops and nets as part of the “Build It and They Will Ball” initiative.
The Lower East Side court opened Monday after nearly two weeks of construction as the students of ESCS hit the courts, with Durant on hand for the ceremony.
“This is wonderful,” said Miriam Scott, a mother of two boys at ESCS. “I like this court specifically because my son loves basketball, and he gets to play right outside his school.”
One of her two sons, seventh-grader Azikiwe, plays for ESCS’s boys basketball team and is just as excited about the new courts.
“I’m very happy. It’s very cool,” he said. “I can’t wait to play ball and play with friends.”
The new court is the eighth installed by Durant’s foundation since 2015. He’s installed new courts in Oklahoma City, Oakland, Seattle, Maryland, Germany and China before coming to the Big Apple.
“Having an accessible basketball court, that’s safe for the city kids, I’m all for it,” Miriam Scott said.
The “Build It and They Will Ball” initiative aims “to increase the number of high quality basketball courts accessible to underprivileged youth across the United States and internationally,” according to the foundation’s website.
