Steven Adams and Reggie Jackson.
Kiwi NBA star Steven Adams is on a mission to bring pick-up basketball to the streets of Auckland.
Adams has teamed up with Spark to launch a pick-up basketball project for Aucklanders.
The project aims to bring the culture of pick-up basketball from world-famous courts in the US to the suburbs of Auckland, with five Auckland 'boroughs' kitted out with free hi-tech outdoor courts and paired with famous sister courts in the US.
Adams and his long-time manager and mentor Kenny McFadden launched the project via live stream from the US.
This short film features NBA legend, Julius "Dr. J" Erving.
Kenny McFadden is a legend in New Zealand's basketball community, known for inspiring young kids to follow their dreams and for identifying and coaching basketball talent, including Steven Adams.
McFadden says the project will give a lot of people the opportunity to go out there and express themselves, and more importantly take pride in their community and courts.
"Which is what streetball has done in the US. One of the biggest benefits for the younger age group is that they can learn from the older kids, and develop their talent at a young age. It's a great concept."
Spark's CE for Home, Mobile and Business, Chris Quin says basketball's profile and popularity is on the rise in New Zealand and the project will help more Kiwis follow their dreams on the court.
"The Boroughs project has been in development for over 18-months and involves great basketball names and brands, local community representatives, building the tricked out full-size outdoor courts and exciting technological developments. It's seen us form the only NZ partnership with the NBA and bring together NBA legends like Dr. J with our very own Steven Adams to talk about how street basketball shapes the play and makes the stars of basketball."
Each Boroughs site will have a basketball court, which will be built and maintained by Spark in partnership with the respective Auckland Council Local Board.
Steven Adams, who grew up with his brothers' stories of Dr J. at Rucker Park, is backing the project to give Kiwi kids and people in the community a chance to play basketball to help grow the game.
"Auckland needs decent, upgraded outdoor courts so people can get out on them and play for free. Not everyone can afford to get to the gym so like streetball in the States, these courts are for everyone."
Each new court will be a Spark WiFi hotspot and, as part of the Boroughs project, Spark is developing new interactive technology for the courts, which will be unveiled early next year.
Kenny McFadden is excited by the use of technology on the courts and can see it benefitting player development.
"Putting the tech on the courts, that's cool. No doubt about it, it's the first in the world that I've seen. For players to be able to go down and use all that technology for their own self-development is extremely powerful.
"No doubt The Boroughs will uplift young players and shine the light on new talent. There's been big excitement over what the Breakers have done, and with Steven getting drafted to the NBA. Now with The Boroughs, basketball gets another shot in the arm so to speak, in terms of popularity. This project will give a lot of people the opportunity to go out there and express themselves and more importantly take pride in their community and courts.
"As a basketball talent scout and coach, I can see the younger age group really benefitting from The Boroughs. They can play with their own age group and the big boys, and learn from them and develop their talent at a young age. It's a great concept," said McFadden.
Auckland Council's General Manager of Parks, Sport and Recreation, Ian Maxwell, says that local boards for each court location gave strong support to The Boroughs right from the start and could see the project ticked all the right boxes.
"The Boroughs meets the local board goal to provide open spaces that provide recreational opportunities for young people, thorough partnership it improves community recreational facilities and contributes to our goal of Auckland becoming the world's most liveable city by encouraging local exercise and community activity."
Kenny McFadden is in agreement.
"Streetball tends to bring the community together. Sport as a whole is a vehicle for socialising and making new friends. But you know, when you're putting a basketball court up and you have to play and learn the rules and get along, it brings the community that much more together."