Even though they’re coming off their spectacular championship season, the Knicks dominance of the New York market is nothing new. For 80 years, they’ve been at the heart of the Big Apple. And in 2026, they have everything: they have their star, their success and now their trophy. Most importantly, they have that fan base.
But in ways big and small, on the court and off, the Nets and Liberty are doing whatever they can to establish the Brooklyn Basketball brand wherever they can in the borough while
at the same time reflecting the community and their own values. One avenue runs through the Tsais’ Social Justice Fund which has been investing in racial justice initiatives across the borough since the George Floyd protests used Barclays Center’s plaza to organize rallies back in 2020.
“We have players who make investments in the community, and then we have the teams themselves that make investments in the community,” Gregg Bishop, executive Director of the Social Justice fund, told NetsDaily. “So you have the trifecta of everyone pouring into Brooklyn. We care about the community, we care about the fan base, we want to not only bring you a good opportunity and excitement on the court, but also off the court.”
So quietly, before Monday’s Battle of the Boroughs at Madison Square Garden, Fund officials, in conjunction with the Nets and Liberty, gathered at a school in Brownsville to dedicate a refurbished playground known as Fish: three courts next to Eagle Academy for Young Men II, whose students will be the primary users of the 60-year-old courts.…
The Nets have been refurbishing courts in Brooklyn — and Staten Island — since moving to the borough 12 years ago but this is different. The financing comes from the Social Justice Fund, the motivation from its desire to counter gun violence that threatens youngsters.
In the case of the playgrounds, it’s not just about reaching the underserved as Parks Commissioner Tricia Shimamura noted. In each case, the Fund working with the Parks Department chose playgrounds in neighborhoods experiencing acute levels of gun violence, hoping to establish safe places and encourage play.
Since 2023, the Fund has refurbished playgrounds at five separate parks across the borough — Jackie Robinson Playground in Crown Heights, Breukelen Ballfields in East New York, Fox Playground in Flatlands and Sunset Park, each using that criterion.
Brownsville is particularly affected. When the Fund and the Parks Department decided last year to refurbish the Fish playground, the 73rd Precinct — which includes Brownsville and nearby Ocean Hill — had a shooting rate of 23 per 100,000 residents, nearly four times the rate for the city as a whole,according to one report.
“Our city’s public basketball courts are more than just places for exercise, they’re a cornerstone of community gathering and connection,” said Wu Tsai in a statement issued Monday, adding “And we are especially proud that those investments spurred new commitments from across New York City’s departments to protect and preserve more of these vital community spaces.”
The effort won praise from Mayor Zohran Mamdani who in the same statement cited the investment by the SJF. thanking the Nets and Liberty in the process.
“Play is a public good and a building block of safe, connected communities,” said Mayor Mamdani. “These renovated courts will give families across Brooklyn the space to play, connect and enjoy their parks. We’re thankful to the Social Justice Fund, the Nets and the Liberty for making that possible.”
The renovation includes new backboards with nets and repaved courts with a grey, black and seafoam green finish, combining the colors of the two teams. New benches provide seating for players and spectators, while a new water fountain helps parkgoers stay hydrated. The project also refurbished the chain-link fence with new mesh, preserving sightlines into the park while keeping wayward basketballs from bouncing into the street.
“These renovated courts mean that our young scholars can be outside in safe proximity to our school building, while still enjoying the activities that kids would want to do,” said Principal Rashad Meade of Eagle Academy “Having these here keeps the scholars close and out of harm’s way, which is especially critical for Black and Brown boys in this neighborhood.”
The refurbishment, like so much of what the teams have done of late with Brooklyn Basketball, has the added value of establishing the teams in the minds of the borough’s youth … “a way to develop a pipeline of fans,” as Wu Tsai recently said. Bishop touched on that Monday as well.
“We hope that our young people see that we have a team that’s not only rooted in Brooklyn, but cares a lot about Brooklyn and wants to support that team,” Bishop said. “It’s more than just a fan base. We want a safe and accessible space for our young people. And if it’s like, ‘I remember the Nets and Liberty and came into my community,’ That’s a win.”
Another win was the smiles that lit up Eagle Academy students as they played on the court.
So too are other elements of Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment’s aggressive branding in the city and borough: the placement of the Brooklyn Basketball Training Center across from Barclays Center, the purchase of three other gyms in Gowanus, Bushwick and Greenpoint and the multiple programs in cooperation with the city schools, including an expansion of the free basketball clinics that already serve 50,000 children in 250 schools There’s also Wu Tsai’s personal initiative to create educational arts programs studying the work of Brooklyn-born artist Jean-Michel Basquiat and musician Max Roach.
Doing well by doing good.
