The National Basketball Players Association announced Thursday that it will partner with NYC Parks to renovate the Greg Marius Court at Holcombe Rucker Park, New York City's Harlem neighborhood.
The NBPA funded the project to renovate the court's iconic court. This included repairing and leveling of the pavement, replacing bleachers, backboards and baskets with scoreboards, and adding team benches and repainting. Spalding will provide the baskets and backboards.
Michele Roberts, executive director of NBPA, stated in a statement that she was honoured to have been entrusted with Rucker Park's renovation. The Rucker is a legend in the world of basketball. This court is where many of our present and past members have honed and earned their reputations. We want to preserve the park's rich history and ensure that future generations of players, as well as the Harlem community, can continue to build on its amazing legacy.
Holcombe Rucker, a local teacher and playground director at the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, was born in 1886. In 1950, he started a basketball tournament to aid children in need. It became a famous basketball spot, where NBA stars such as Kareem AbdulJabbar and Wilt Chamberlain, Julius Erving and Kobe Bryant came to play pickup games.
Rucker Brand founder Chris Rucker stated that the Rucker summer league was a proving ground for college and professional stars in Harlem by the 1960s and eventually made the courts at Frederick Douglass Boulevard and 155th Street home. With the help of the NBPA and NYC Parks, Rucker Park will again be that same proving field, as well as [apparel brand] Legends. This vision was realized by Holcombe Rucker.
After the renovation is complete, the NBPA Foundation plans to fund a new recreation role that will provide programming at the park as well as the nearby Jackie Robinson Recreation Center.
The renovation started on Thursday and will be complete by October.
