Satou Sabally and Jordan Brand Design a Berlin Baskeball Court for Young Girls
Located at an old airport.
From Serbia to Hong Kong, Nike has been planting basketball courts around the world, connecting grassroots communities and celebrating its sustainable Nike Grind initiative. For its latest basketball court project, Jordan Brand heads to Berlin, enlisting the help of German WNBA star Satou Sabally and local artist Bahar Bambi to create a safe space for young girls to enjoy the game. Sabally and Jordan Brand choose to refurbish a local basketball court at Tempelhofer Feld, a public park that used to be an airport.
“I’m very interested in the concept of intersectionality,” says Sabally. “As a woman, you have to constantly fight battles that other people never have to think of. Refurbishing the court is a small step in giving marginalized groups like young girls the same chance to play basketball, have fun and stay safe.”
The design of the court was created by Bahar Bambi, who paints the court in purple and red hues with her signature Turkish patterns. Taking inspiration from the multi-cultural nature of Berlin and Sabally’s Gambian heritage, the work expresses Bambi’s views on basketball and art as universal languages for connection across borders.
“As a kid, I always hung out on the street courts,” says Bambi. “I’ve always admired the competitiveness and team spirit of the game. Watching basketball while I paint is one way I get inspired to create. The dedication and focus that players like Satou bring to the game is motivating to me.”
Jordan Brand will partner with local community partners such as Sp0rt365 – TiB eV, Türkiyemspor, Berlin Braves, Seitenwechsel, Gangway, Ballsie and Coach Ireti to offer free and ongoing basketball classes during the summer dedicated to girls from different backgrounds. Head to the Nike website for more information.
Elsewhere, Saudi Crown Prince releases further details on the world’s longest skyscraper city.
