Holding Court
Bobbito García gives us the lowdown on street basketball
August is all about street ball in New York—the asphalt jungle, the scabbed knees, flagrant fouls and, let's say, colorful personalities that make up the purist athletic experience in the five boroughs. This fall sees the release of Doin' It in the Park: Pick-up Basketball, a definitive documentary on the city's street ball scene directed by Kevin Couliau and notable DJ, baller and sneaker aficionado, Bobbito García. "In street ball there are no coaches, no referees, no schedules—just a disorganized environment with unwritten rules from park-to-park," García said. And with that, Garcia and Couliau break down the best courts in each borough.
Manhattan
"West Fourth Street. NBA players have run up and down the court. It's a nice showcase, always packed, great to watch or play. The court mayor is a guy named Sherman Ice. You'll see more trash talking than any court in New York because of the constant audience. It's like theater—they play it up. You never know who's gonna show up— Brandon Jennings just happened to show last week." —García
"Goat Park. Named after the legendary Earl 'The Goat' Manigault, this park, located on 99th St & Amsterdam, is my favorite location in Manhattan. You can play against super talented college kids or older street ballers with great fundamentals."—Couliau
Bronx
"Macombs Dam, which is right behind Yankee Stadium, is another goldmine of a court. This park has a track, a soccer field, pull-up bars—there's so much activity it's ridiculous, and they have light until ten on. People were showing up at eight o'clock to play. You can hear the stadium's crowd if there's a home run. If you hit a jumper at the same time then they go wild."—García
"Mullaly Park is also right behind the Yankee Stadium, has a skate park and two freshly renovated basketball courts, plus the aerial subway line running along the park."—Couliau
Queens
"Lefrak City, these days is crawling with pre-teens playing ball on every court. If you're a young kid and want to test your skills, go to Lefrak."—García
"Queensbridge. Known for generating famous Hip-Hop artists, QB is also the birthplace of NBA player Ron Artest and an amazing landscape to play pick-up basketball. Kids are playing there and are not afraid to challenge you."—Couliau
Brooklyn
"Not a lot of people know about Marine Park in deep, deep Brooklyn. It was the most packed of the over 180 courts we visited in two summers. Every court was packed— at least 48 players playing and 30 more waiting. It was a scene. There were guys selling water, listening to transistor radios—it's a wonderful social space."—García
"Wingate Park. Brooklyn plays hard—harder than the other boroughs. Calling next in Wingate Park is a mission unto itself. Once you get on the court, you need to be ready mentally and physically to compete with the local players. It's all about proving you have skills and deserve a spot on this playground."—Couliau
Staten Island
"Clove Lake. Probably the most picturesque of all the playgrounds we've visited. SI is a cross section of Americana—rich kids to poor kids to ten different nationalities playing ball at the same time." —García
"Walker Park. Two full courts next to a huge baseball field. A great vibe is emanating from this park, and it's in the middle of a residential area. You'll find people playing pick-up. And don't sleep on your opponent, Staten Island has game!"—Couliau
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