Minneapolis-St. Paul – The Minnesota Timberwolves FastBreak Foundation, in partnership with U.S. Bank and Rebuilding Together Twin Cities, recently unveiled a newly refurbished outdoor basketball court in Hibbing, MN at Bennett Park. Former Timberwolves players Troy Hudson and Greg Stiemsma were on-hand to break-in the new courts, alongside Hibbing Mayor Rick Cannata, U.S. Bank Market President Todd Fedora and Timberwolves & Lynx VP of Community Engagement John Thomas. Photos from today’s event can be downloaded here.
“We’re honored to be here today and to have the opportunity to unveil this NBA-style court to the Hibbing community,” said Thomas. “Growing the game of basketball is one of the main pillars of our Timberwolves FastBreak Foundation, and we hope this court will be a place that the next generation of basketball players can get outside in the summer and hone their skills with their friends.”
The Timberwolves Our Courts. Our Future. program presented by U.S. Bank aims to help neighborhoods take their love of basketball outdoors and to serve as a reminder of how important outdoor courts are for young basketball players. Following a ribbon cutting, Hudson and Stiemsma spent time on the court with local area youth.
The basketball court at Bennett Park was initially built in 1980. Families crowd the park every evening with kids from the surrounding neighborhood playing on the court, which is located on the most visible corner of the park. The court is also home to several teams for practice as available gyms in the area are scarce.
“We believe in the power of play, which is part of our Community Possible giving and engagement platform, to connect and enrich our communities,” said Fedora. “We are excited to partner with the Timberwolves and the community to provide kids the opportunity to learn, grow and make lasting memories on this revitalized court.”
The court refurbishment program will bring the Timberwolves next to Hastings, St. Cloud and St. Paul. Winning courts were decided through online voting by more than 158,000 votes from fans and community members. Read more about the program and see the winning courts here: www.timberwolves.com/ourcourts.