The Dallas Mavericks Foundation dedicated a new basketball court in South Dallas on Wednesday.
Dallas Maverick Maxi Kleber was in attendance to help dedicate the new court to the public.
“I just remember from my childhood, it is easy if you have an outdoor court. Just go there with friends, play basketball, you know it keeps you away from trouble," said Kleber. "That is just one of the things that my mom always said, I would rather have you guys play basketball and know where you are than getting in trouble. That’s basically what we did all day."
The new court is located at Frazier Revitalization, a non-profit dedicated to change and transformation in the Dallas neighborhood.
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Antong Lucky, who is on the Frazier Revitalization board, grew up there. He reflected on what it used to look like.
“I remember back in the day we used to have that rim of the bicycle. So to actually have a real goal with lights, and a nice court,” said Antong Lucky.
“If you don't know what the court looked like before it was a mess it. It was just a concrete pad it had one goal, no lights, but they were out there every day playing on it. This is going to make their day, their year,” said Dorothy Hopkins, President and CEO of Frazier Revitalization.
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The children in attendance got on the new court after the formal dedication. There is also fencing, lighting, and new equipment. And now a chance to create new memories for children as they take their first shots in their new digs.
“That is one of the things I really love about the Mavericks, about Mark, about the whole organization. They really care about the community, about giving back. That is the number one thing and every year before we start the season, it’s about like what can we do to give back,” added Maxi Kleber.
