Nike unveils 'The Courtyard' in BGC

Sportswear brand Nike on Friday officially unveiled "The Courtyard" with hopes to give back to the basketball community and creating a safe space for young aspirants.

The Courtyard, which is located in Bonifacio Global City (BGC) in Taguig City, offers three free-to-book basketball courts, two of which are FIBA-standard full courts while the other one is a half-court for practice shooting.

Aside from the courts, The Courtyard also has restrooms, showers, locker rooms, and a rooftop deck that could serve as an events place. Through the Nike app, those who want to use The Courtyard can simply sign up.

"The idea of building this court has always been a dream of Nike for a while now," Nike Philippines' country marketing manager Jino Ferrer said during a press conference.

But aside from offering free access to basketball courts, The Courtyard also features sustainability as its surface is made from Nike Grind rubber from recycled pairs of shoes. According to Nike, about 30,000 pairs were used in the project.

"We want to give back to the community where they can belong but also create something that will not only preserve the love of the game but also build a safe space for the new generation of ballers," Ferrer added.

TNT 3x3 head coach Mau Belen was also present in the unveiling, saying that there's a bevy of talents in the country and access to basketball court is one of their needs.

"I have the enviable job of carrying forward the love of basketball by playing the game, coaching youngsters, and seeing them represent the country overseas," said Belen, who steered TNT to a number of titles in the 3x3 circuit.

"There's tremendous talent in our country and what our youngsters need is access to the courts."

—Bea Micaller/JMB, GMA Integrated News