Analysis Of Sitting Courtside At Dyckman

“Sitting Courtside at Dyckman”

The following is an observational essay written while observing the summer’s annual Dyckman Basketball Tournament.

August 16th 2012

Humidity hangs heavy in the summer air. The sound of the ball pounding on the asphalt of the court is drowned out by speakers blasting hip hop and reggaeton. Smells from nearby food carts fill the thick summer air. The neighborhood itself is a cultural and ethnic melting pot (much like all of Manhattan), blending mostly African-American and Dominican cultures in a few square blocks. The clashing cultures can be as volatile as the summer heat, however much like all of New York City, they settle and coexist. I am fortunate to have a seat right in the middle of it all. I can overhear a conversation in of two passerby’s arguing over Alex Rodriguez, who is a product of this very neighborhood.

It’s a little more than an hour before tip-off and already Monsignor Kett Playground aka Dyckman Park is already packed with spectators for the culmination of what has been a most entertaining tournament. Fans have been treated to the all-star caliber gameplay by the likes of New Jersey’s own JR Smith, Tyreke Evans, Brooklyn-native Gary Forbes, as well as Sundiata Gaines; the former Arch Bishop Molloy star. As more and more spectators take their seats there is a definite buzz in the air. For the last few months teams have been battling it out on this court vying for bragging rights. New York City summer league basketball has long been connected to Holcombe Rucker Park, another long-standing outdoor league; however Dyckman is quickly gaining popularity.

The annual summer league was started in the 1980’s to curtail New York City youth from getting involved in the drug and gang epidem...

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...is first come, first serve. There’s no waiter bringing you overpriced snack bar food. It’s more like sugary quarter waters, Halal trucks, dollar pizza slices, and of course Latin American food carts.

As the game is winding down I can’t help but wonder what it must be like for some of the NBA’s top tier talent to stop and play in front of the masses. This is the closest some of these people will ever get to a real NBA game. There’s no promise of making it to a game over at the Barlcays or MSG. This is it for them. What makes this venue so appealing? It’s the in-your-face style. They get to serenade and shower the players with “oohs and aahs.” High-fiving their lantsman after a stellar dunk or killer crossover. While Spike Lee is sitting court side and shelling out thousands to see ‘Melo and company, I’m getting to see basketball how it was intended to be played.