Kevin Durant made an appearance in Manhattan earlier today to unveil his charity’s latest refurbished court as part of the all-star’s Build It and They Will Ball charity. The court and a large-scale mural are located in Lower East Side Park and will be used as a facility for the East Side Community Schools.
The school group submitted pictures of their old, dilapidated court to Roc Nation Sports, the agency that represents Durant, to be selected by Build It and They Will Ball for renovation. The court was selected among dozens of other submissions, leading to a renovation process that took almost 12 months to complete.
This is the eighth court Durant has refurbished through his charity, including previous donations in Oklahoma City, Oakland, Seattle, Maryland, Germany, and China.
“When I was young, playing basketball was one of the things that kept me out of trouble and kept me focused on my growth and maturity in to the man I would eventually become,” Durant said in a statement. “For that reason, I’ve always wanted to play a leadership role in communities and neighborhoods – like the one I grew up in – and give kids a chance to choose health, teamwork and basketball over some of the other negative influences they may face.”
Durant is the latest, but hardly the only, NBA star to lend their name and resources to constructing basketball courts for the less fortunate.
Luol Deng has devoted much of his time toward providing new basketball courts and athletic resources for impoverished children in Sudan under the umbrella of the Luol Deng Foundation.
New York Knick Carmelo Anthony has also made several trips to Puerto Rico to oversee the construction of courts through to their unveiling as a part of his Courts 4 Kids charity as well.
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As more athletes, both at home and abroad, see to the construction of new courts, kids from all walks of life will get the opportunity to play and compete in ways they otherwise wouldn’t. In the face of poverty or even just diminished urban resources, these athletes are bringing sports and hope a little closer to children who deserve both.
