Two legends of the game – one on the hardwood; the other on the stage – surprised dozens of children in Long Beach Tuesday.
Reigning NBA Finals MVP Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors and entertainment icon Snoop Dogg showed up at the Boys & Girls Club to help unveil a newly refurbished basketball court and speak to the children about the importance of community.
Snoop (birth name: Calvin Broadus) and Steph (birth name: Wardell Curry II), visited the club facility at Martin Luther King, Jr. Park to surprise more than 70 kids as the club debuted its one-of-a-kind basketball court designed by comic book artist Damion Scott (birth name: Damion Scott).
Scott is a renowned artist whose unique style has graced the pages of “Batman” and “Black Panther” issues and trade paperbacks. Scott’s court design took inspiration from the facility’s location in Martin Luther King, Jr. Park, which is the same court where Snoop himself grew up playing sports.
“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 in a news release by Under Armour.
The redesigned and renovated court was made possible through a partnership between Steph Curry Brand and Snoop Dogg in which they look to give back to low-income communities through youth sports and provide kids a safe space to discover their love for the game.
“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,” Curry said.
Local Boys & Girls Club officials say the refurbished court will serve thousands of kids from the local club and other organizations including Long Beach Parks and Recreation and the Snoop Youth Basketball League. More than 200 kids are enrolled at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Long Beach and the facility has served the community for nearly four decades.
It’s a place where hundreds of children and teens have found sanctuary in an otherwise scary world. It’s the place where Snoop and his wife, Shante, grew up playing. And both Snoop and Curry, as well as artist Damion Scott, hope the court will continue to endure and serve its purpose for kids in the community who need it the most.
“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,” said Snoop.
For kids at the Boys & Girls Club, the visit from Curry and Snoop Dogg featured custom t-shirts, inspirational speeches and, of course, some hoops.