Local basketball talent will shine at a free South Side skills camp and tournament this weekend, with the event taking place at courts dedicated to the late NBA superstar Kobe Bryant.
Park Jam is scheduled for Saturday from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the basketball courts in Jackson Park, located near the intersection of Hayes Drive and DuSable Lake Shore Drive.
This event is organized by Operation Basketball, a nonprofit focused on youth basketball established in 2021. The agenda for the day includes:
– Youth basketball clinics featuring skills training led by coaches and professional players from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m.
– A court dedication ceremony from 3:30 to 4:00 p.m.
– A single-elimination basketball tournament from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m.
– A 3-point contest from 8:00 to 9:00 p.m.
– A dunk contest from 9:00 to 10:00 p.m.
Winners of the 3-point and dunk contests will each receive $300. In addition to the basketball activities, Park Jam will offer school supply giveaways, complimentary food and drinks from food trucks, music, and more.
The event is free to attend, though most slots for the basketball competitions are already filled, with some spots still open for the dunk contest as of Thursday afternoon. Those interested in participating in the dunk contest or seeking more information about Park Jam are encouraged to check online.
Ald. Desmon Yancy (5th) expressed his enthusiasm for the event, stating, “We’ll see if I still got a little game left,” when asked if he would join in.
Yancy, who is co-hosting the event with Cook County Commissioner Bill Lowry, noted their efforts to renovate the Jackson Park courts last year in collaboration with NBA referee James Capers Jr., a Hales Franciscan High School alumnus.
The courts will be formally dedicated to Bryant during the event, coinciding with the date 8/24/24, a tribute to his iconic jersey numbers. Kobe Bryant wore number 8 during his career from 1996 to 2006 and number 24 from 2006 until his retirement in 2016. Tragically, Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna “Gigi” Bryant, lost their lives in a helicopter crash in 2020.
The center circle of the Jackson Park basketball court features the inscription “Kobe & Gianna Bryant,” accompanied by a butterfly border honoring Gigi. The courts were renovated and reopened in November, with backing from the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation, named after the beloved late Bryants.
“I always thought [Bryant] was an amazing basketball player,” Yancy stated. “I still call [Michael] Jordan the G.O.A.T., but Kobe, in the time that he played, was just as influential of a player.”