By Jack MacCool
It was a dreary day in Toronto. Unrelenting, the stern rain rendered most sidewalks, parks and playgrounds empty of any people. However, it was underneath the Gardiner Expressway, of all places, where one small and durable park was thriving.
Music poured out from the shade of the overpass and the scent of “finger lickin’ good” fried chicken filled the air as attendees made their way toward the hubbub. The event, located at The Bentway on Fort York Boulevard, was hosted by KFC, an occasion to promote their KFCourt—the world’s first winterized basketball court.
What made the winterized court special was its protection from the elements, something that normally would make outdoor basketball in Canada impossible and unenjoyable during the winter months. The Gardiner provided protection from above and an elevated platform court stopped snow and slush in its tracks.
Braving the weather to make an appearance at the court was Toronto Raptors guard Gary Trent Jr., as well as basketball influencer Chris Matthews. Matthews, better known as ‘Lethal Shooter’, has 2.2 million Instagram followers and is a high-level professional jump-shooting coach.
“A winterized court is super Canadian and super Toronto as well to have a basketball court under the [highway] in the middle of winter,” Trent Jr. said in an interview with The Eyeopener. “It’s great. You’ve got the community here. You’ve got KFC bringing everybody together through the game of basketball.”
Third-year Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) commerce student Aaron Gluck knew as soon as he heard about the event that he had to be there. Gluck is an avid Raptors fan and says he’s watched every game for as long as he can remember. “This is only 10 minutes away from school so I figured I’d come over.”
“I was never really tripping over the trade deadline”
The celebratory event took place on Feb. 12—the same date as the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) annual trade deadline. The day in which players from all 30 NBA teams can be shipped to another franchise with little to no warning.
In potentially the final year of his contract with the Raptors, rumours circulated that Trent Jr. could be traded from Toronto at the deadline. With what’s called a “player option” in his contract, Trent Jr. has the choice to either opt in and play next season with the Raptors under his current deal or opt out and explore free agency.
Given he’s also having arguably the best season of his career, it makes sense that he might opt out and try to sign a more lucrative contract either with Toronto or elsewhere.
When the 3 p.m. trade deadline came—about one hour before Trent Jr. was scheduled to be at the KFCourt—there was a sense of relief among many Raptors fans.
“I love Gary Trent,” said Gluck. “I think he’s a really key Raptor and I was really against it when anyone was talking about trading him before [the deadline] because we need him.”
Given the proximity of the event’s start time to the end of the trade deadline, the edges of the winterized court were lined with media members rightfully trying to get comment from Trent Jr., who was the first Raptor to make a public appearance after the deadline. Trent Jr. told The Eye he “was never really tripping over the trade deadline.”
At first, the many attendees at the KFCourt were forced to wait patiently as Trent Jr. made his obligatory rounds with many media outlets. When he finally joined Lethal Shooter at centre court, the energy under the Gardiner shifted dramatically.
Many young Raptors fans took the court alongside the two stars, jumping at the opportunity to meet and shoot hoops with them while also witnessing perhaps the single best jump shot tutorial available in all of Canada.
What went from an event focused on the what-ifs and what-abouts of NBA rosters became a place where sport cultivated community.
“It’s just a positive energy. Everybody’s out here smiling and it’s a good place to be safe,” said Lethal Shooter. “We don’t have enough activities going on in the world right now that’s giving back to help the youth and that’s why when [Trent Jr.] said it’s about the youth and…community, that’s why I came.”
The emphasis on community was evident as it was not just children enjoying the winterized court—many post-secondary students and adults also lined up for a chance at meeting and shooting with the two basketball personalities.
“It’s what you have out here. It’s having a super comfortable feel, super family feel,” Trent Jr. said. “You are out here meeting different people, different walks of life and everybody’s here to play basketball. So it’s a great thing. It’s a beautiful thing.”
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