NYPD, NBA teaming up to bring pick-up basketball to kids in Brooklyn

BEDFORD-STUYVESANT, Brooklyn (WABC) -- The NYPD and the NBA are teaming up to bring some fun and sports to kids in Brooklyn.

The Brooklyn North Precinct is lacing for a game of pick-up basketball on the streets.

Police brought in brand new hoops, balls, and plenty of enthusiasm.

Now it's up to the kids to bring the fun.

That's what it's all about, building relationships, making a difference, changing lives one basketball dunk at a time.

The city's finest set up courts in Brownsville, East New York, Bedsty, and Bushwick. Clearly this was so much more than a basketball game.

One location is a painful spot for the NYPD. Three years ago, two officers were gunned down at that very corner of Tompkins Avenue and Myrtle.

Detectives Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu were posted in a car when they were shot execution style.

From the tragedy, officers from Brooklyn North are looking to build a better future.

"I with want to connect with our, we want to connect with your communities," said Asst. Chief Jeffrey Maddrey, NYPD. "We want the people in our communities to feel comfortable talking with us, and approaching us. I want everybody in Brooklyn North, the 10 precincts I'm in control of, I want people to feel like they can walk into the precincts, they're the community's precincts. I want them to feel comfortable."

So officers are staging four of these pick-up games in Brooklyn north on Monday.

In addition to donating all the balls and hoops from Spalding, the officers are going to make a play street at all four locations for the rest of the summer.

That means one block will be closed to traffic during the daytime hours so they can wheel out the hoops and kids can do what kids should be doing in the summer, which is having fun.