Harlem’s Holcombe Rucker Park is synonymous with basketball.
Some of the greatest ballers in history played there. Kareem-Abdul Jabbar, Dr. J, Joe Hammond, Pee Wee Kirkland, Earl Manigault, Kevin Durant, and the late, great Kobe Bryant.
Its legend is made not only by the players and games but also by its atmosphere and aura.
From climbing the trees and the metal fence back in the day to watch a game to the rush from the subway station to the court and hip hop bumping from double-parked cars, Rucker Park was an experience for all.
Now the iconic park’s famed basketball court is getting an overhaul.
The NYC Parks Department is pairing up with the National Basketball Player’s Association (NBPA) to renovate the Greg Marius Court at Holcombe Rucker Park.
“We are incredibly honored to be entrusted with the renovation of Rucker Park,” said NBPA executive director Michele Roberts in a statement. “The Rucker is legendary in the basketball world. Many of our past and present members honed their skills and established their reputations on this court. Through this renovation, we aim to preserve the rich history of the park while ensuring that future generations of players — and the Harlem community as a whole — can further enhance its incredible legacy.”
The court, now named for Holcombe Rucker, was known as the P.S. 156 Playground when it originally opened in 1956.
A teacher and member of the Parks Department, Holcombe held basketball tournaments in Harlem in the late 1940s/early 50s to help local kids.
He located the tournament to the P.S. 156 Playground, setting the foundation for the park’s legendary status.
A short time later, a pro league was founded. It became the place where some of the greatest basketball players in the New York area put their talents on display for the city to appreciate and judge.
Holcombe Rucker passed away a few years later in 1965. He was only 38.
In 1975, the playground was officially renamed “Holcombe Rucker Park”, which it retains to this day.
Now the legendary’s park’s basketball court, named after EBC founder Greg Marius, is getting some much-needed love.
Marius, known as “Greg G” of the Harlem hip hop group, The Disco 4, founded the EBC in 1982.
He passed away in 2017 at the age of 59.
The renovation, scheduled to be completed in October, is a fitting tribute to two men who wanted to do more for their beloved Harlem.
