Late last month, NBA superstar and New York Knicks Carmelo Anthony joined New York City Housing Authority Chairperson John Rhea in cutting the ribbon on the newly renovated basketball court at Red Hook East Houses, the housing complex where Anthony grew up, and first discovered his talent and passion for basketball.
“I had a safe haven,” Anthony said, “This is where it all started.”
JP Morgan Chase along with The Carmelo Anthony Foundation made contributions to remodel the courts, in hopes that they will benefit the everyday lives of the children in the community.
Bill Berdini of Chase; Dorothy Shields, president of the Red Hook East Houses Resident Association; Councilmember Sara Gonzalez, and members of the community joined Anthony and Rhea in the momentous opening of the court.
The courts were repaved and repainted, and the surrounding fences, repaired. New logos were added to the backboards, and the hoop’s rims were repainted.
The Carmelo Anthony Foundation has restored six basketball courts in upstate New York, and three in Puerto Rico thus far, in addition to this most recent project in Red Hook.