Indianapolis Pacers star guard Tyrese Haliburton continued to solidify his commitment to the Indianapolis community on June 14 with the unveiling of a newly renovated basketball court at Fall Creek and 30th Park. The court marks the first in a series of five revitalization projects spearheaded by Haliburton, aimed at fostering spaces for youth recreation and development across the city.
“It is important that we invest back in this community that gives us so much,” Haliburton said. “I think the sense of community comes from my family … I want to build a great (community) relationship here. This decision was not hard at all.”
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Initially, the ribbon-cutting ceremony was attended by Mayor of Indianapolis Joe Hogsett, Pacers Sports and Entertainment President Mel Raines, The Parks Alliance CEO Rusty Carr, court artists Harriet Watson and Connor Green and many other members of the Indianapolis community.
“(Young people) are the future of Indianapolis,” Hogsett said. “Engaging young people in sports can have a dramatic and positive impact on their life. When we provide our kids access to basketball courts and other athletic facilities, we give them a safer, more productive way to spend what otherwise might be idle time.”
Thus, as the saffron ribbon fell, many kids currently in summer camps joyfully stormed the newly renovated courts to participate in a basketball clinic led by Haliburton and the Pacers.
Beyond his All-Star performance on the court, including leading the Pacers to the 2024 Eastern Conference Finals, Haliburton has sponsored holiday meals, toy drives, shoe giveaways and renovation projects like the ones at Fall Creek and 30th Park.
“If we really want to solidify ourselves as the greatest sports capital in the entire world, we must invest in our young people,” Hogsett said. “That is what we are doing today.”
Contact multi-media and senior sports reporter Noral Parham III at 317-762-7846 or via email at noralp@indyrecorder.com. Follow him on X @3Noral.
Noral Parham is the multi-media & senior sports reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder, one of the oldest Black publications in the country. Parham has worked with various leagues to provide a diverse perspective in sports, including the Big Ten, Big East, IHSAA, IndyCar, MLB, NHRA, NFL, NBA, WNBA, WWE and the Olympics. Prior to joining the Recorder, Parham served as the community advocate of the MLK Center in Indianapolis and senior copywriter for an e-commerce and marketing firm in Denver.
