The Cavaliers’ New Outdoor Basketball Court Commemorates Cleveland’s 2016 Championship Win

Basketball has long had a home inside Rocket Arena. Now, it has a home just outside the building, too.

On Friday, the Cavaliers unveiled their “Meet Me Here Plaza” on the corner of East Fourth Street and Huron Road. Coinciding with the 10-year anniversary of the team’s 2016 championship win, the park hosts Downtown Cleveland’s only publicly accessible outdoor basketball court, providing an impactful recreation space for Downtown’s residents.

Before cutting a ceremonial ribbon, a group of Cavs leaders and politicians shared a few words. That included former Cavs general manager David Griffin, Rock Entertainment Group CEO Nic Barlage, county executive Chris Ronayne, city councilman Richard Starr and Cavs vice president of business and basketball operations Grant Gilbert.

“From the moment we became stewards of the Cavaliers, we saw our roles as helping shine a brighter light on the city, telling its story to the world, and investing in making the future even brighter,” Gilbert said. “The spotlight was never brighter than on June 19, 2016.”

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Gilbert, the son of Cavs majority owner Dan Gilbert, was within eyesight of another of his family’s investments in Cleveland during the event: Across the street, construction continued on the entertainment venue Cosm, a part of the Gilberts’ expansive Bedrock projects in Cleveland.

“Today is about much more than a ribbon cutting. Today is about investing in people, investing in neighborhoods, and investing in the future of Cleveland,” Starr said. “This court represents what is possible when organizations, community leaders, residents and partners come together around a shared vision.”

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Following the ribbon cutting, hundreds of Clevelanders wearing their finest wine and gold attire arrived for a Block Party featuring a game by the Wheelchair Cavaliers, a beer garden, food trucks and giveaways. Former Cavs legends Campy Russell, Larry Nance, Elmore Smith, Jim Chones and Booby Gibson made appearances at the event, signing postcards for attendees.

To wrap up the party, fans gathered for a commercial-free screening of the 2016 Game 7, when the Cavaliers — as every Clevelander knows — won it all.

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