More than 70 kids received the surprise of their lives when four-time NBA Champion Stephen Curry and entertainment icon Snoop Dogg unveiled a newly refurbished basketball court at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Long Beach facility in Martin Luther King, Jr. Park.
While the court had spent years in need of repair, it shined during today’s unveiling as kids took to the hardwood for the first time in more than a month to engage in hands-on skills programming through the support of Curry Brand, powered by Under Armour, on its mission to impact 100,000 youth and renovate 20 safe places to play by 2025.
Since the launch of Curry Brand in 2020, Stephen and Snoop have been ideating ways they could collaborate and combine their shared passion for providing access to youth sports.
Over the past two years, they remained close as they brought their vision to life, utilizing their collective platforms to make a meaningful impact in the lives of others.
“This is the place where I learned how to play basketball, play football, be active in the community, and build relationships. It’s where I learned how to rap, talk, and just be me basically – in this park right here,” said Snoop Dogg.
“To come back and see the kids doing different things, trying to be better than we were – that’s what it’s all about. For us to give these kids more opportunities than we had – that’s what it’s really about.”
“For us to give these kids more opportunities than we had – that’s what it’s really about.”
– Snoop Dogg
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Long Beach facility has served the local community for over 40 years, with about 200 kids utilizing the grounds and programming every week.
This project is part of a larger joint effort between Stephen, Curry Brand, and Snoop Dogg to combine their passion, star power, and commitment to youth sports – specifically, in low-income communities.
Thanks to their partnership, local youth in Snoop’s hometown will now have access to a safe, functional, and stylish place to play, with expanded programming being offered for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Long Beach, Long Beach Parks, Recreation and Marine, and Snoop’s Youth Basketball League, in partnership with Stephen and Curry Brand.
“We want to provide a space where you can come enjoy yourself and get lost in the fun, lost in the competition, invest in yourselves, and be around a lot of amazing coaches and programs,” Stephen said while addressing the kids.
“This is the beginning of hopefully an amazing journey, not just in sports but in life. Sports teach you so much about life and building great character, being a part of teams, and believing in yourself.
We want to be able to provide that for you guys through Curry Brand, and we’re really excited about that.”
“This is the beginning of hopefully an amazing journey, not just in sports but in life. Sports teach you so much about life and building great character, being a part of teams, and believing in yourself.”
– Stephen Curry
The basketball court was redesigned with the help of comic book artist Damion Scott, who is renowned for his work on books such as Black Panther, Batman, Robin, Batgirl, Web of Spider-Man, and many more.
His unique drawing style and artistic approach are influenced by hip-hop culture, having collaborated with several music artists prior to his latest endeavour with Snoop and Stephen.
The court design took inspiration from the location in Martin Luther King, Jr. Park as well as the history of the court where Snoop and his wife, Shante, grew up playing.
Damion even enlisted the help of local youth from the Boys and Girls Club to complete two murals. Each kid was asked to draw themselves as a superhero with superpowers.
Damion was able to incorporate these drawings into the murals, which the kids could help him fill in with paint. The wall is called “find your own superhero.”
“We are thrilled to be working alongside Stephen and Snoop Dogg to breathe some life back into this court,” said Don Rodriguez, Chief Executive Officer of Boys & Girls Clubs of Long Beach.
“It has been incredible to see their commitment to fueling these kids’ passions, and we are so grateful to have their support.”