INDIANAPOLIS — As the WNBA All-Star Weekend approaches, efforts to create a lasting impact on Indianapolis communities are already underway. A basketball clinic on Thursday at Al Polin Park on the city's near northside celebrated the unveiling of a newly upgraded WNBA All-Star Legacy basketball court.
The newly refurbished court is part of the WNBA All-Star 2025 Host Committee’s goal of extending its influence beyond basketball.
"We're doing four legacy projects totaling a million dollars, and our hope was that we could impact tens of thousands of people in Indiana and the central Indiana community,” said Mel Raines, CEO of Pacers Sports & Entertainment.
The WNBA All-Star Game is not the only event with a commitment to community enhancement in Indianapolis.
In 2012, the Super Bowl legacy project helped fund the Chase Near Eastside Legacy Center, a community fitness center in Indy.
Similarly, last year’s NBA All-Star Game awarded legacy grants to local students and nonprofits who support the community.
"We were able to put down this beautiful floor in our gym. We originally had a carpeted gym, and so it was the original. It's probably 20 years old," said Lynn Rogers, Director of Children and Youth Services at the Concord Neighborhood Center.
For Rogers, the NBA All-Star grant has continued to make a substantial difference at Concord, the oldest community center in the city.
“Being able to be that versatile in the programming that we can offer just makes our you know, our reach to the community even greater. " Rogers said.
They now use the court not just to play on, but to host community events and more.
The ultimate goal of these initiatives extends beyond just major sporting events in Indianapolis.
This mission resonates especially with Kierra Ready, the artist who hand-painted the new court at Al Polin Park.
"I want people to come to this park, young girls as well, because I'm all about uplifting young women," Ready said. "I want them to know that they have a place where they are welcome and invited. It feels great to be a part of that."
The WNBA All-Star Host Committee plans to distribute a total of $1 million to support upgrades at four local nonprofit organizations, Fletcher Place, the McCoy Center, and they also plan to fund the championship court at the Marvella Sports Complex, a facility dedicated to young female athletes.
