Kevin Durant and Nike Are Bringing New Life to Old Basketball Courts - Black Enterprise
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Money
  • Leadership
    • Career
    • Education
    • Jobs
    • Men
    • Women
  • Technology
  • Lifestyle
  • Events
    • Black Men Xcel
    • Entrepreneurs Summit
    • TechConneXt
    • Women of Power
    • American Black Film Festival
    • ABFF Honors
  • Lists
  • Magazine
  • Videos
  • TV Shows
    • Our World
    • Women of Power
25 black women who are changing the world

January/February 2018

Black Enterprise
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Money
  • Leadership
    • Career
    • Education
    • Jobs
    • Men
    • Women
  • Technology
  • Lifestyle
  • Events
    • Black Men Xcel
    • Entrepreneurs Summit
    • TechConneXt
    • Women of Power
    • American Black Film Festival
    • ABFF Honors
  • Lists
  • Magazine
  • Videos
  • TV Shows
    • Our World
    • Women of Power

Kevin Durant and Nike Are Bringing New Life to Old Basketball Courts

by  Black Enterprise
July 8, 2015

Announced via Roc Nation Sports today – two basketball titans are teaming up to build and restore basketball courts around the world. The Oklahoma City Thunder star and former NBA MVP Kevin Durant, and his Kevin Durant Charity Foundation (KDCF), have partnered with Nike for the “Build It and They Will Ball” Basketball Court Renovation Initiative.

[Related: Kevin Durant Plays Fashion Forward]

“When I was young, playing basketball was one of the things that kept me out of trouble and kept me focused on my growth and maturity into the man I would eventually become,” Durant said via statement. “For that reason, I’ve always wanted to play a leadership role in communities and neighborhoods – like the one I grew up in – and give kids a chance to choose health, teamwork and basketball over some of the other negative influences they may face. Thanks to Nike and many other supporters, the renovation and development of these basketball courts is the perfect opportunity to open these doors.”

Together, they will launch an annual program to build or completely renovate international playgrounds, and to increase the number of high quality basketball courts accessible to underprivileged youth across the United States and internationally.

The first three locations benefiting from this collaboration are Oklahoma City, OK, Washington, D.C., and Berlin, Germany.  The aim is to have the basketball courts operational and open to the public by September 2015.

At the heart of the initiative is the recycled materials that will go into the project. The court underlays will include Nike Grind, a premium material made from recycled athletic shoes and Nike manufacturing scrap that provides cushioning and durability – two factors which have long been a question in outdoor basketball court construction.

Durant, who was born and raised in the Washington, D.C./Maryland area, says that recent trips abroad to Asia and Europe have inspired him to connect internationally with the next generation leading the game.

The Kevin Durant Charity Foundation (KDCF) is a not-for-profit, 501(c)3 mission-based organization founded by Kevin Durant to enrich the lives of at-risk youth from low-income backgrounds through educational, athletic, and social program support. This program joins Kevin Durant’s goal to build courts that inspire and motivate young athletes with Nike’s long-term commitment to supporting projects that create access to sport and physical activity opportunities for youth. Build It and They Will Ball will propel the mission of KDCF to enrich the lives of youth from low-income backgrounds through various educational and athletic programs.

Join the Conversation


MORE ON BlackEnterprise.com
franchise
Entrepreneurship
More Black Americans Are Becoming Franchise Owners and Fueling Small Business Growth
by  Jeffrey McKinney
Education
Creating Opportunity, One Internship at a Time
by  Robin White Goode
Founder, Christian Annice (Image: eMillions+)
Money
Four Tips to Increase Your Credit Score From a Credit Expert
by  Sequoia Blodgett

TRENDING

  • Baltimore May Sell Homes for $1 to Revive Neglected…
  • Spotify is Looking for New Female Podcasters of Color
  • Meet Melissa Harville-Lebron: The First Black Woman to Own a
  • Free Money? The Top 10 Grants Available to Black, Minority…
  • 7 Top Grants Or Free Money For Black Women Entrepreneurs
  • U.S. Small Business Administration and Milken Institute…
  • 5 Books Every Millennial Entrepreneur Must Read
  • Top WNBA Salaries vs. NBA Salaries: Who Earns More? [2017…
  • Meet the Dallas Mavericks’ New CEO
  • Chance the Rapper Hosts Holiday Party to Help the Homeless
Women of Power WOMEN OF POWER SUMMIT
Entrepreneurs Summit ENTREPRENEURS SUMMIT
American Black File Festival AMERICAN BLACK FILM FESTIVAL
Our World OUR WORLD WITH BLACK ENTERPRISE
Women of Power TV WOMEN OF POWER TV
25 black women who are changing the world
SUBSCRIBE
GIVE A GIFT
CUSTOMER SERVICE
  • © 2018
  • BLACK ENTERPRISE
  • Management
  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
  • Site Map
  • Masthead
  • Media Kit