The Beach Cliff Freedom Court

Oak Cliff - Dallas, Texas

The HoopBus and Boost Mobile teamed up in Oak Cliff, a neighborhood in Dallas TX to host the Boost the Block Classic and spread some love on Easter Sunday, 2024. The combined efforts of a dedicated team over three long days of hard work gave new life to The Beach Cliff Freedom Court, which had countless cracks as well as overgrown weeds. The new court was inaugurated with a block party to celebrate the renovation. The community responded. Dallas’s stars came out, including WNBA players, musical artists, streetball legends, Division 1 collegiate basketball players and community activists, all joining forces for a memorable event which impacted each and every person that attended. The air was filled with the sounds of musical performances from hit artists along with cheers from the youth as they searched for easter eggs, the smells of delicious food, and the sights of some spectacular dunks in a contest which will go down in history. 

The hometown of NBA Legend Dennis Rodman, Oak Cliff has faced a deeply-rooted history of civil and economic unrest, dating back to the early 1900’s with the Great Depression. Issues of underdevelopment and heightened gun violence have plagued the community ever since, creating a lack of opportunity, as well as safety, for the youth in the area. HoopBus, together with For Oak Cliff, set off to create a safe space, or hoop sanctuary, in The Beach Cliff Freedom Court. On Thursday morning, HoopBus’ Elvin Rodriguez along with founder, Nico Naismith, flew out of Los Angeles to begin the court transformation, which needed to be fully finished by Sunday’s block party. They had barely stepped off the plane in Dallas, Texas when restoration began at 5:00 pm Thursday evening and the weeds that had made homes in the cracks in the court were picked. Work then resumed at 8:00 am Friday morning, with a power-washing of the court, the installation of new breakaway rims donated by Goalrilla, and the cementing of the cracks, all concluding at around 6:00 pm. Saturday was a day of painting and rehearsal, which went all the way through the night, finishing at 12:00 am, midnight, on Easter Sunday. And so after countless hours, trips to the Home Depot, drops of sweat in the Texas sun, and stories told from one basketball court doctor to another, The Beach Cliff Freedom Court was resurrected and ready for Easter Sunday’s celebration.

Sunday’s Boost the Block Classic was a time for community fellowship and festivity under the warm embrace of basketball in the beautiful Dallas springtime. The day was jam-packed with star power from the community, with appearances from WNBA stars Moriah Jefferson and Odyssey Sims, as well as many more of Dallas’s very own such as Tony Swindle, founder of the SwinCity basketball league. Performances from artists, OG Bobby Billions with his hit song “Better Days,” Eclipse Darkness, and DJ Don Perryon from 97.9 The Beat, filled the air with music and the crowd with energy throughout the event. The festivities hit the ground running with a youth three on three basketball tournament followed by an adult co-ed three on three tournament. It came down to the wire, but was won by collegiate basketball players, Aaliyah Roberson and Tristen Burks, along with fitness influencer DreaXXII. For all of Oak Cliff, this was a day that would be remembered, but especially so, for the youth. Kids from all around the neighborhood participated in an easter egg hunt and youth skills clinic, showed off their best moves in a talent show, and even hosted their own dunk off on the inflatable court bounce house. The block party was capped off as Streetball legend and former Harlem Globetrotter Dmytro “SmooveUkraine'' Kryvenko competed with Elvin “Mr. Everything” Rodriguez, GabeDunks and Isaac White in a dunk contest which culminated in a dunk over a Porsche 911 Roadster! The Boost the Block Classic was an event that will go down in history and we’d love to extend a shout out and thank you to everyone who participated from the court renovation to the event, and brought this special moment to life for Oak Cliff.