Kevin Durant & Apexer Freshen up an SF Basketball Court

Buchanan St & Hayes St, San Francisco, CA

The Hayes Valley Playground got a fantastic facelift thanks to a parting donation from Kevin Durant and his KD Charity Foundation.  The playground got new hoops and backboards, the grounds were resurfaced, and perhaps the most striking improvement is that the whole court was turned into a giant mural by SF Artist Apexer.  Begging the question, ‘why don’t they do this with every surface in the city?’

Hayes Valley Basketball Court, Art by Apexer, photo by @donpoppa

“Public basketball courts like this one have always been places people can go not just to get exercise but to find community,” said District 5 Supervisor Vallie Brown, “This brand new court designed with community input in a beloved neighborhood park is sure to become a beacon bringing people together, young and old.”

Through the Build it and They Will Ball initiative, KD’s Charity Foundation has supported basketball court resurfacings around the world in order to increase access to high-quality courts for underprivileged youth, including two courts resurfaced in 2018 at Hunters Point Community Youth Park, a San Francisco Unified School District property.

The newly renovated Hunters Point Youth Park in October 2018.

“This is the KDCF’s 20th basketball court renovation through the Build It and They Will Ball initiative, and it means a lot to me that it’s in the Bay, a place that will always be special to me.”  – Kevin Durant

Check out more of Street artist Apexer’s work at theapexer.com.

The improvements were funded with a $99,500 grant from the Kevin Durant Charity Foundation (KDCF), with support from Airbnb Co-founder Joe Gebbia. The project also includes a resurfaced tennis court and fencing improvements funded through the Recreation and Park Department’s budget.

Thanks to Tamara Barak Aparton of SF Rec & Park Department for hyping us to this story.  Good luck in Brooklyn KD, and thanks for the new courts.