Mavs have court dedication at Cedar Crest Community Center

When Mavericks forward Grant Williams was cordially admiring the new basketball court at the Cedar Crest Community Center in South Oak Cliff, his mind couldn’t help but go back to the days when he was a kid trying to find a decent court in his neighborhood to play basketball on.

“The court that I grew up on was called The Rec in West Charlotte (N.C.),” Williams said. “And there were cracks in the pavement — in the cement — and double rims.

“So having a gym like this, air conditioned, and a chance to not only spend time with one another and really have fun is something that these kids have it better than us, which they deserve.”

Mavs guard Tim Hardaway Jr., Williams and many other dignitaries were on hand Friday for a court dedication at Behind Every Door’s Cedar Crest Community Center. It’s the 31^st court dedication unveiled by the Mavericks and the Mavs Foundation over the years.

Presented by Sprite, ShiftKey and S2 Capital, the renovations include a full basketball court build with newly installed hardwood floors, Mavericks custom court designs, goal systems, scoreboards, safety equipment and bleachers. The gymnasium will host basketball leagues and other community events, allowing the youth and residents a quality place to play and gather.

Avery Johnson, who played for the Mavs in the 2002-03 season and coached the Mavs from 2005-08, is a Behind Every Door board member and was on hand for Friday’s ceremonies. Johnson couldn’t stress enough how crucial this court is to this area of Dallas.

“One of the reasons why I joined the board of Behind Every Door years ago was because I could identify with how I grew up in a community in New Orleans,” Johnson said. “We were able to come over here and resurrect this whole community and this project with investing over $14 million into this facility to make a difference in the lives of people in this community that look like me, that come from the same family structures – whether it’s uneducated, or maybe some with single-parent homes. I felt that this was something that I could really wrap my arms around.

“I grew up in the Lafitte Projects (in New Orleans), and when I grew up I remember a coach said, ‘Hey, you want to come by our new community center called Treme Center?’ And I said, ‘Sure, I would love to come.’ And that’s where I learned to play basketball. They put a basketball in my hand and the rest is history.”

Johnson’s NBA career lasted from 1988-2004, and there were those in attendance on Friday who steadfastly believe the same thing could happen to some of the kids at the Cedar Crest Community Center.

“Who knows?, Williams rhetorically asked. “One of these kids may end up being a Dallas Maverick one day. And who knows if they’ll come back and say, ‘I remember when Tim Hardaway Jr. and Grant Williams came and spoke to us, or even just came and hung out with us, or did some drills with us. I practiced those drills days on later in life.’

“I think that’s something that we forget sometimes – the impact that we can have on others. So, try your best to be a positive.”

The court dedication included a performance by D-Town Crew, a basketball clinic for the students that was hosted by Mavs Academy, and a celebratory net cutting. The Mavs Street Team and Mavs ManiAACs distributed swag bags, Ruthie’s Food Truck served meals, and a block party including games and activities for folks living in the Cedar Crest community ensued.

In discussing the metamorphosis that occurred with the new gymnasium, Hannah Turner, the executive director of Mavs Foundation, said: “This used to be an old Salvation Army building. So, we learned that this really used to be a hub 20-30 years ago for people to come and have a safe place to be and a safe place to hang out. And over the last decade it had kind of lost that spark.

“So, being able to come in and be a part of the rejuvenation of this area really is impactful for the Mavericks, impactful for Mavs Foundation and it really does make a difference here in this community to provide a place for all of our youth to hang out and learn and really have a strong foundation.”

Hardaway expressed sheer gratitude that he was asked to be included in such a memorable game-changing occasion.

“It’s an honor and a privilege to be here in the Cedar Crest community, because everything is for the kids, everything is for the next generation coming up,” he said. “I remember me being a kid and going to the local Boys and Girls club and the YMCA. Even though my dad (Tim Hardaway Sr.) was in the NBA, at the time as a kid it was always awesome to come to a community center like this that had different events, different things for kids my age to stay out of trouble, make new friends and just have fun at the end of the day.

“I’m happy to be here, be a part of this to support the community center opening, and hopefully everybody keeps it nice and clean. It’s very nice, it’s very clean, it’s very classy and I’m happy to be a part of it.”

The gymnasium is part of the newly renovated Cedar Crest Community, which is a 50-year staple of the South Oak Cliff neighborhood. The eight-acre property includes a 20,000-square-foot community center, a 4,000-square-foot church, and full-size football and baseball fields. The center is surrounded by over 17,000 neighbors, including more than 1,000 teens and children who attend the elementary and high schools within a quarter mile.

“It’s not going to be just about sports,” Johnson said. “That’s going to be the bait to get the kids here and the families here – football and basketball. But we have after-school care, we have audio visual training, technology training. We’re going to help families that maybe make an average household income of $17,000 (a year). Once they learn a skill, then they can maybe go out and make $50,000 or more (a year).

“That’s going to make a difference in the confidence in the negative statistics that we see in these communities turn to positive statistics. We’re going to help young people get their GED, get them back in school, feed into Dallas Community College. And just think, if you get an Associate Degree in Dallas Community College, what a difference that can make in your family.”

Indeed, the difference makers in this project were the ones who rolled up their sleeves and offered financial support and/or the manpower to make this happen for a most deserving community.

“Any court dedication, especially for a community, it’s super special,” Williams said. “The Mavs Foundation has done an incredible job here at Cedar Crest making sure that not only the kids have an opportunity to develop their games, but also go to a place where they can feel safe and feel community, feel a place where each person is valued, and also can challenge themselves in different things, whether it’s basketball, football, golf simulation or whether they want to do community engagement events.

“There’s several options that they have with this space and the Mavs Foundation did a phenomenal job with the development of that.”

Shortly after the conclusion of the court dedication, Turner was all smiles, saying: “The Mavs Foundation is so thrilled to get to be a part of this amazing project – Behind Every Door in the Cedar Crest Community Center. We jumped on board with this project a few years ago before this building was what it is today.

“This is a safe place for youth (and) for adults. There’s so much going on here from health care to financial literacy. The basketball is a very, very important part of it and a very fun place for kids and adults to hang out, and also it’s a sense of pride for the community to have.”

As the approximately 500 members of the Cedar Crest community were filing out of their new home away from home, Hardaway had one lasting request.

“The court looks amazing,” he said. “It’s awesome. It’s nice. It’s shiny. Like I said, take care of it. Not a lot of community centers, not a lot of gyms get to have a nice court like this with nice baskets and score boards and the smell of fresh wood.

“Just take care of it and make sure it stays clean, because it’s not only you that’s going to be using it. It’s going to be the next generation after you and the generation after that. So, all I ask is just to keep it clean.”

X: @DwainPrice