Looking for basketball hoops in NYC!
 

My husband and 17 year old son will be in NYC next weekend. My son would like to find some outdoor basketball hoops where he could maybe get in a pick-up game or two. Is there an area in Central Park with hoops? If so, where? They would be willing to cab or subway somewhere. Kid lives for basketball. Thanks all you New York experts!!

One of the toughest games is in "The Cage" which is on Sixth Avenue and 4th Street in the heart of Greenwich Village. It is a smaller court than regulation and they play a tough brand of b-ball. Even if they do not play, they will enjoy watching it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LildmYdCcXU

There are hoops scattered throughout the city -- every school playground, park playground, apartment complex playground, etc. has at least a hoop somewhere. Where are they staying?

The Cage is legendary, but the boy better have game to play there.

They are staying in Midtown. The boy has game - is actually being recruited at the college level - but I'm guessing that they will check it out and make sure that he won't get killed before he tries to play!! Thanks for the tips!!

It's probably going to be warm - pleasant courts can be found in Battery Park City, in Rockefeller Park, by the Solaire Building and the Pavillion/Park House
http://www.bpcparks.org/bpcp/map/map.php

On the East side, the courts in Carl Shurz Park at East End Avenue and 86th Street are pretty good - on the East River, and pretty shaded.

For a list all the courts run by the parks dept - you can enter your hotel's zip code here and find the nearest outdoor court and rec centers. Have fun - NYC pick-up ball is an experience.

He can always ask the college coach about where to play too.

http://www.nycgovparks.org/facilities/basketball

Not far from "the cage" is a hoops court at Houston and 6th Av. Thompkin's Sq Park in the E. Village has a handful of courts. Mulberry and (I think Spring) has a bunch. As already mentioned, many school yards have them but some are looked up on the weekends. There all small "concrete" parks all over town as well (Houston St. is one of those).