WOODLAWN — This weekend, local basketball talent will shine at a free skills camp and tournament on the South Side, coinciding with the dedication of the courts to the late NBA legend Kobe Bryant.
The event, named Park Jam, will take place from 2 to 10 p.m. on Saturday at the Jackson Park basketball courts, located near the intersection of Hayes Drive and DuSable Lake Shore Drive.
Organized by Operation Basketball, a youth-focused nonprofit established in 2021, the schedule for the day includes:
– Youth basketball clinics featuring skill training by coaches and professional players from 2 to 3:30 p.m.
– A court dedication ceremony from 3:30 to 4 p.m.
– A single-elimination basketball tournament from 4 to 8 p.m.
– A 3-point contest from 8 to 9 p.m.
– A dunk contest from 9 to 10 p.m.
Participants in the 3-point and dunk contests will have a chance to win $300 each. In addition to basketball activities, Park Jam will offer school supply giveaways, complimentary food and drinks from local food trucks, music, and more.
While attendance is free, most slots for basketball competitions have been filled; however, openings were still available for the dunk contest as of Thursday afternoon. To participate in the dunk contest or for more information about Park Jam, those interested can visit the event page.
Alderman Desmon Yancy (5th) expressed his excitement about the event, saying, “We’ll see if I still got a little game left,” when asked if he would join in on the action.
The dedication of the courts is particularly meaningful, as the event takes place on August 24, 2024, a day that pays tribute to the numbers worn by Bryant throughout his career with the Los Angeles Lakers—8 from 1996 to 2006 and 24 from 2006 until his retirement in 2016. Bryant and his daughter Gianna, known as “Gigi,” tragically lost their lives in a helicopter crash in 2020, along with six others.
The Jackson Park courts were renovated and reopened in November, thanks in part to the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation, named after the nicknames of Kobe and Gianna Bryant.
“Kobe & Gianna Bryant” is featured in the center circle of one of the courts, which also includes a butterfly border as a tribute to Gianna. Yancy remarked on Bryant’s impact, stating, “I always thought he was an amazing basketball player. 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.”