Coloring the Game: Three Stunning Painted Basketball Courts

The basketball court is a massive canvas for many artists’ inspirational works. Around the world, you can find painted courts with designs that pop. Here are three of our favorite courts with artistic expression that bursts free from hoop to hoop.

Court One – The Rainbow Recreation Center in Oakland

Nestled within an Oakland public park lies a basketball court that was once drab and uninspiring. Enter Dan Peterson and his non-profit organization Project Backboard. 

Created to revitalize public basketball courts, Project Backboard has transformed 22 courts and counting since its inception in 2015. The Rainbow Recreation Center’s court stands out due to its bold geometric shapes and contrasting colors. Today, the court is more than a place to play – it’s an inspiration to artists who love the game.

Court Two – Pigalle Duperré in Paris

Almost any space can serve as a basketball court, even one as irregular as that found on Rue Duperré in Paris’s Pigalle region. This court is far from traditional, with unconventional angles making it clear that it’s a makeshift design rather than one that fits into the “regulation” box. It is precisely this uniqueness that inspired the art direction company Ill-Studio and the Pigalle fashion brand.

Striking primary colors are the main feature here, with the court itself a bold ombre lined by grey “out of bounds” areas. But you could argue the court itself is not the main attraction, as a glance at its surroundings reveals striking murals. Blues mix with reds and yellows to create a trippy, multi-dimensional atmosphere.

Nike also played a role in redesigning this compact court into a work of art (you’ll see more from Nike soon), and it stands as a testament to the fact that the irregular can be made magnificent.

Court Three – House of Mamba in Shanghai

The Nike brand is rooted in basketball, so it’s no surprise that the company behind the famous Air Jordans commissioned this stunning piece of basketball art. The House of Mamba court is a masterclass in using modern techniques to deliver a stylish vision, with LEDs used to transmit practically any image an artist can think of onto the court.

House of Mamba started as a collaborative project between Nike and Kobe Bryant. The court was designed to serve as a training ground for Bryant’s teaching as part of the Nike RISE program.

Using special LED visualization technology, artists can project almost any combination of graphical and colorful elements onto the court’s surface. Granted, it’s technically not a painted court. But it allows for constant customization, meaning it’ll evolve along with trends, artist tastes, and the game of basketball itself as time goes on.

Express Your Art on the Court and Off

The three examples of basketball art combine the nostalgia of playing on any court you can find and the artistry of those who bring these incredible courts to life. They’re inspiring to the creative minds at Hoop Dream Studios.You may not be able to bring a full-sized painted basketball court into your home, but you can bring an awesome basketball-inspired design. If you’re feeling inspired, contact us about designing a custom basketball hoop to match your style and personality.