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Streetball has received a lot of shine as of late because of the lockout and of course, this guy. So naturally we got up with Bobbito Garcia AKA Kool Bob Love, who just so happens to be working on a New York basketball documentary due out in 2012 entitled, Doin' It in The Park: Pick-Up Basketball, NYC, co-directed by himself and Kevin Couliau. The doc is co-produced by 360 Creative Films in Paris, the same company that brought us the seminal documentary Just For Kicks, a vital addtion to any sneaker head's video library.
Bob has been synonymous with NYC streetball, sneaker culture, and hip-hop for God knows how long, and he was gracious enough to clue us to a couple spots to check out. So if you want to get a good run in or just want watch some great ball, here's Bobbito Garcia's Guide to Playground Hoops.
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Clove Lakes
WHERE: Staten Island (1150 Clove Rd.)
BOBBITO SAYS: I really fell in love with this one. They play out there on the weekends. It's a nice mix of different ages and nationalities, plus there's a lake behind the courts that makes it very picturesque.
West 4th
WHERE: Greenwich Village (W 4th St. & 6th Ave.)
BOBBITO SAYS: In Manhattan, this is the ground zero for pickup. They've been running fulls there since the '50s. The tournaments go down in the evening, so if you get there by 12, 1 o'clock, you basically can play the whole afternoon. A warning, though: There are a lot of arguments out there. [Laughs.] But on the flipside, there's always people on the fence, so it's a good place to play to get your rep up.
Macombs Dam Park
WHERE: The Bronx (E 158th St. & Ruppert Plaza)
BOBBITO SAYS: For the Bronx, I would recommend Macombs Dam Park, right behind Yankee Stadium on 161st Street. They have lights out there and four full courts that they just built, like, two years ago. Cats be playing out there until 10 p.m., when they close the park. On hot summer days, when it's 100 degrees outside, sometimes you want to play when the sun goes down, so this is a nice spot to get your pick-up on.
LeFrak City
WHERE: Corona, Queens (59-17 Junction Blvd.)
BOBBITO SAYS: My park out in Queens is LeFrak. Those are the courts that produced Kenny Anderson and Kenny Smith; for that alone it's legendary. You're more likely to find young kids playing out there, junior high school/high school age. If you're a young cat, it's a great place to get your runs in.
Marine Park
WHERE: Marine Park, Brooklyn (between Flatbush, Gerritsen & Fillmore Aves, Jamaica Bay)
BOBBITO SAYS: This is deep, deep into Brooklyn; a lot of people don't know about it, but it's a jewel of a playground. They got four full courts but they only play half court. Out of all the parks, on the weekends and afternoons, this might be the most packed basketball environment in the city. You got eight 3-on-3 games going on at the same time. A special place. Everybody's chill, no arguing, and everybody plays hard.
Nike Pro City
WHEN: Tuesdays & Thursdays at 6:30 p.m.
WHERE: Grammercy (24th St. and Lexington Ave.)
BOBBITO SAYS: It's in the basement of Baruch College. That's where you're going to find the most NBA and over-seas pros, guys like Ron Artest, John Lucas Jr., and Kevin Durant, plus all the top playground dudes like Corey "Homicide" Williams and Jesse Sapp. I can name 50 players there that are incredible to watch.
Dyckman Park
WHEN: Wednesdays & Fridays at 7:00 p.m.
WHERE: Inwood (204th St. and Nagle Ave.)
BOBBITO SAYS: Joe Pope is on the mic with the heavy crowd and top competition; there's a lot of excitement out there. Plus, you can buy pinchos and dollar drinks. Lots of stars there, a great place to check out.