339254

Nike World Basketball Festival: Washington D.C. – Day 1 Recap

Nike World Basketball Festival: Washington D.C. – Day 1 Recap

Nike World Basketball Festival Barry Farm

In 2010, Nike launched the inaugural World Basketball Festival as a celebration of the past, present, and future of the sport. Taking place in New York City, the ‘mecca’ that many consider the beating heart of the game in its purest form, the World Basketball Festival captured the global and local influence of the game as the world’s best teams competed in the 2010 FIBA Tournament. Two years later, basketball will reach the pinnacle of international sports competition as the quadrennial Olympic Games touch down later this month, so in celebration of this momentous affair, Nike brought back the World Basketball Festival at a much larger scale, setting up shop in four major basketball-centric cities. Sneaker News was invited out to the World Basketball Festival to experience the game in Washington D.C., a city with its own feverish hotbed of basketball talent, and the first order of business was the make a stop at none other than the legendary court in Barry Farms, located in the Southeast of the Nation’s Capitol.

Upon arrival at the local landmark, the native atmosphere instantly fell upon the court; hundreds of locals piled in to watch their hometown Goodman League champion squad face off against the visiting Team Nike from New York City, but this Friday evening event was clearly more than just a game of hoops – it proved to be an unbreakable, bond-strengthening tradition that bled D.C. heart and boasted the rock-solid sense of community. The game was announced by local legend Miles, who manned the microphone and provided the jokes and jabs while keeping the crowd in order, and somehow the intense battle that was going down on the court was no match for the infectious positivity in the crowd. Even a surprise visit from hometown hero Kevin Durant and his Team USA/OKC Thunder running-mate James Harden didn’t seem to stun the crowd too much – he was embraced less like a prodigal son who made the occasional return home, but like a familiar face who never forgot his roots.

Onto the game: Team Nike and the hometown Goodman squad played fiercely from tip-off, with the crowd cheering with gusto and gumption for it’s D.C. bred stars like The Destroyer and ‘Ray Lewis’. The Barry Farm crowd, who welcomed Team Nike and the visiting media with open arms, didn’t allow its visiting competitors to come and go as they pleased; courtside regulars traded friendly blows with ‘2 Hard 2 Guard’ as well as former NBA pro and NY native Kenny Satterfield in a semi-heated back and forth that only fueled the intensity of the contest. The game went down to a final game-tying attempt by the New York squad, but Washington D.C. came out on top after a long and hard battle; even after a loss, both teams shared smiles and congratulatory handshakes, commending each other for playing with their hearts and putting on yet another legendary show. Getting a healthy sample of local basketball flavor was the perfect way to kick off the Nike World Basketball Festival, but tomorrow, the Festival continues on a larger scale with Team USA running drills with members of the Armed Forces, Converse celebrating with an amazing Block Party, and a special appearance by Jordan Brand’s biggest stars at one of the area’s most respected retailers. This is just the beginning of what’s shaping up to be the perfect glorification of the game, so stay tuned for continuing coverage of the Nike World Basketball Festival in Washington D.C. throughout the weekend.

Nike World Basketball Festival Barry Farms 1

Nike World Basketball Festival Barry Farms 2

Nike World Basketball Festival Barry Farms 3

Nike World Basketball Festival Barry Farms 4

Nike World Basketball Festival Barry Farms 5

Nike World Basketball Festival Barry Farms 6

Nike World Basketball Festival Barry Farms 7

Nike World Basketball Festival Barry Farms 8

Nike World Basketball Festival Barry Farms 9

Nike World Basketball Festival Barry Farms 10

Nike World Basketball Festival Barry Farms 11

Nike World Basketball Festival Barry Farms 12

Nike World Basketball Festival Barry Farms 13

Nike World Basketball Festival Barry Farms 14

Nike World Basketball Festival Barry Farms 15

Nike World Basketball Festival Barry Farms 16

Nike World Basketball Festival Barry Farms 17

Nike World Basketball Festival Barry Farms 19

Nike World Basketball Festival Barry Farms 20

Nike World Basketball Festival Barry Farms 21

Nike World Basketball Festival Barry Farms 22

Nike World Basketball Festival Barry Farms 23

Latest News

"Orange Lily" Blooms On The ASICS GT-2160

The ASICS GT-2160 has established itself as a true catalog favorite, both for consumers and for a host of collaborative partners that have taken to...

by Matt Varga 20 mins
6

Air Jordan 4 “Bred Reimagined” Shock Drop Expected At 2PM ET

The Air Jordan 4 “Bred Reimagined” is expected to SHOCK DROP tentatively at 2PM ET via the SNKRS app. Access the shock drop HERE. The...

by Matt Varga 50 mins
12114

Nina Chanel Abney Reveals Upcoming Air Jordan 3 Collaboration

New York-based contemporary artist Nina Chanel Abney was welcomed into the Jordan family in 2022, debuting her first collaborative capsule with the Jumpman with two...

by Sneaker News 59 mins
738