Bradley Beal isn’t just taking this time to heal his injury, he’s also trying to heal a broken neighborhood. A nearby basketball court residing in Columbia Heights at Banneker Community Center was in dire need of a makeover.
Being unfamiliar with the courts, Beal noticed the decrepit lines, cracked backboards, and unleveled courts were just across the street from the prestigious HBCU, Howard University. Showing concern, the Wizards All-Star decided to team up with an organization named Hoop For All. This organization is known for hosting basketball events, as well as providing needed support to the people of particular communities.
“It was a no-brainer. I loved what Hoop For All did as an organization, spreading awareness of medical issues that especially hit the Black community,” Beal said.
“I liked that they were young, they didn’t necessarily have a big following, and when I saw the courts for the first time—it was exactly what the community needed. You’ve got nice tennis courts over there, a nice middle school, a playground, a pool. The only thing that was missing were nice basketball courts.” Beal said.
The ceremony will include a basketball clinic and community health resources such as health rate checks, blood pressure checks, and many other basic health screenings. Beal will attend the court’s unveiling on June 18, a project that will be finished within a year and carried out with funding from Beal and support from HoopFall and the NBA’s Player Association.
“When you go to the basketball court, you meet new people every time. We want that same feeling at this event,” Hoop For All founder KB Thomas said as he spoke about the project, per the Washington Post. “Everybody coming together. It’s an opportunity to fall in love with the basketball again, to fall in love with your community again, and feel like your community is taken care of. It’s very easy to feel forgotten. The No. 1 thing we want to show is that somebody still cares about the people in the inner city of D.C.”
Beal is considering signing a multi-year deal with the Wizards worth $250 million. The three-time All-Star is mainly focused on rehabbing from an injured wrist that he underwent surgery to repair in February. He ensures that the surgery was good and that he is recovering very well.
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