Hornets Believe: Hornets, BP Refurbish Court at Pontchartrain Park
By: Jim Eichenhofer, Hornets.com
March 11, 2011
Long before actor and New Orleans native Wendell Pierce became famous for his role in the widely-acclaimed HBO television series “The Wire,” Pierce aspired to be a star professional basketball player. Pierce spent much of his youth playing at Pontchartrain Park, which is located in the Gentilly section of the city.
“I remember being on these courts and dreaming of playing with (players like) Emeka Okafor and Carl Landry in the NBA,” joked a smiling Pierce, who appears to be about 5-foot-8, during a Friday, March 10 ceremony at Pontchartrain Park. “As you look at me behind this podium, it looks like I’m standing in a hole, but no, I’m not standing in a hole. (Unfortunately) I just didn’t grow, when I was dreaming about playing with Emeka Okafor and Carl Landry in the NBA.”
Pierce, along with Okafor, Landry and numerous New Orleans dignitaries, were on hand at the park to announce the re-opening of its outdoor basketball court, which has been painted with Hornets colors and logos. The New Orleans Hornets organization and BP are teaming up to refurbish a total of six basketball courts in Southeast Louisiana, with the one at Pontchartrain Park being the first.
Although only a small percentage of children will one day realize the dream of playing in the NBA like Okafor and Landry, there are many other paths to success, as Pierce noted.
“It was here on this playground, as a proud member of the Pontchartrain Park Patriots, where character was delivered to me in the form of sports discipline, as well as the joy and the challenge of playing sports,” Pierce said. “It was an incubator of talent. I cannot say enough in gratitude to BP and the Hornets (for renovating the park for children). This is the highest example of corporate responsibility and corporate involvement. They are delivering to us one of the premier playgrounds in the city.”
The six court refurbishments will take place in a six-parish area during the month of March. Each court will feature glass backboards and brand-new rims.
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