Best Outdoor Basketball Courts in the World
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Basketball is a universal language. Whether you shoot hoops to let off steam or have dreams of an NBA future, outdoor basketball courts are where the true magic of the game happens. They bring people of all backgrounds and levels together to play.
Because streetball doesn’t discriminate, you can find courts all over the world. From the streets of Harlem to floating in a lake, these are the best outdoor basketball courts in the world, based on Yelp and Google reviews, as well as our own editorial input.
Note: We may earn money from affiliate partners if you buy through links on our site.
15. Chong Khneas Basketball Court
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Location: Chong Khneas Village, Cambodia
Special features: Floating on a lake
Stay nearby: Heritage Suites Hotel
Bottom Line: Chong Khneas Basketball Court
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There are several floating villages on Tonle Sap Lake in Cambodia. The people in these villages have adapted everything in their life, from school to church to pigpens to float on the rising and falling waters of the lake.
At Chong Khneas village, residents also have built a floating basketball court, which has a single hoop and is completely enclosed by a wire fence. This protects the ball and players from falling into the lake while allowing for maximum airflow.
Though the court may not be the most accessible, it deserves a spot on this list for its sheer imagination and coolness factor.
14. 3D Basketball Court
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Location: Munich, Germany
Special features: 3D design, slopes, curves
Stay nearby: Hotel Adria München
Bottom Line: 3D Basketball Court
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Germans have been pushing the boundaries of design for a while, so it’s not surprising that one of the most unique basketball courts in the world is in this European country.
Instead of having boring old painted lines, the court has slopes that curve around and connect the two baskets. People have complained about how it’s difficult to play basketball normally, but think about it: If you master playing basketball in what looks like an Expressionist movie set, you can play basketball anywhere.
That’s true training.
Bottom Line: Gleisdreieck Park Courts
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If you’ve ever been to Berlin, you know one thing is true about the city: It likes to be different. Appropriately, this court is in a park that was built on top of an old railroad. Rather than being put off by the industrial aesthetic, the people of Berlin love coming here to walk, picnic and, of course, play basketball.
The courts at the park are large and perfect for friendly games. There’s a nearby beer garden where you can get postgame drinks.
12. City Wall Rooftop Court
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Location: Dubrovnik, Croatia
Special features: Views of the Adriatic Sea
Stay nearby: City Hotel Dubrovnik
Bottom Line: City Wall Rooftop Court
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Possibly one of the basketball courts with the best views in the world, this simple rooftop court set within the walls of Dubrovnik has become extremely popular with hoopers and Instagrammers alike.
Dubrovnik is, of course, one of the cities that caught the attention of "Game of Thrones" fans as a stand-in for King’s Landing. A game in this enclosed rooftop court will give you a bird’s-eye view of the terracotta rooftops of the city and the deep blue of the Adriatic Sea.
11. Taguig Tenement Basketball Court
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Location: Metro Manila, Philippines
Special features: Giant Kobe Bryant tribune
Stay nearby: The Manila Hotel
Bottom line: Taguig Tenement Basketball Court
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Basketball is revered as almost a religion in the Philippines. When this tenement in the Metro Manila area was built in the 1960s, the residents banded together to build their own basketball court.
Surrounded by cramped apartments on all sides, the Tenement court could be claustrophobic, if not for the work of the Tenement Visual Artists collective, which paint and repaint larger-than-life murals on it.
LeBron James, Jordan Clarkson and other famous players have visited the now-iconic court, which made the news in early 2020 after it became a memorial to Kobe Bryant — who was extremely popular in the country — and his daughter Gianna. On the one-year anniversary of Bryant’s death, the community added a second memorial to the original one.
10. Jackson Park Basketball Courts
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Location: Chicago,Illinois
Special features: Views of Lake Michigan, two side-by-side courts
Stay nearby: citizenM Chicago Downtown
Bottom line: Jackson Park Basketball Court
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Chicago lives and breathes basketball, so it’s no surprise that the city is filled with outdoor basketball courts. None are perhaps as significant as the ones in Jackson Park, known to locals as "The Cages."
Since there are two adjacent courts, you are almost guaranteed to get to play. Besides just being a great spot to practice your airballs, the Cages have been the home court of pro players like Antoine Walker and Kendall Gill.
9. Mosswood Park Basketball Courts
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Location: Oakland, California
Special features: Being the home court of basketball legends
Stay nearby: Oakland Marriott City Center
Bottom line: Mosswood Park
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This historic basketball court is where Bill Russell, Hook Mitchell, Antonio Davis, Gary Payton and many other NBA legends have gotten their basketball feet wet. There’s even a legend about Hook Mitchell doing a 360-degree dunk over a parked car here!
While the courts suffered some disrepair and abandonment, they were renovated in 2011 and continue to be the first court of future basketball stars.
8. Strefi Hill Court
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Location: Athens, Greece
Special features: Unique views, relaxed neighborhood atmosphere
Stay nearby: Divani Palace Acropolis
Bottom line: Strefi Hill Court
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If you enjoy playing basketball merely for the love of the game, this court, located on Strefi Hill, is perfect for that. You won’t find people getting too competitive here, though that doesn’t mean you won’t be expected to play your best.
What makes this court even better are its views over Athens and its location right in front of a local Greek restaurant that is a favorite with people of the neighborhood.
7. West 4th Street Courts
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Location: New York City, New York
Special features: Central location, streetball tournament
Stay nearby: Washington Square Hotel
Bottom line: West 4th Street Courts
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Most commonly referred to as the "Cage," these courts are where amateur basketball happens in New York City. Even though it’s not as big as regular courts, it continues to be one of the most famous street basketball courts in the world.
If you want to play a game at the Cage, make sure you get there early, as it's always full and in demand, particularly during the warmer months.
Bottom line: Yoyogi Park Basketball Courts
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While countries like the U.S. and the Philippines have full courts all around, they continue to be somewhat scarce in the Japanese capital. This is what makes the basketball courts at Yoyogi Park some of the city’s best.
The courts were built in 2005 by Nike and have been used for the brand's promotional events. But most of the time, they are your everyday court where locals come to shoot hoops.
Bottom line: Holcombe Rucker Park
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Rucker Park doesn’t even need an introduction. Considered one of the meccas of basketball, this is one of the most famous courts in the world, mostly because it was the home court of NBA stars like Stephon Marbury, Satch Sanders and Earl Monroe.
Although some complain that its celebrity status has taken away the essence that made it perfect for streetball, it continues to be a go-to place for avid basketball fans.
Bottom line: Pigalle Basketball Court
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Set in the tiny space between two apartment buildings, if you don’t go looking for this court, you won’t find it.
The Pigalle court has gained fame around the world because of the colorful designs that mark its unique aesthetic.
But don’t get this park wrong. It’s not just there to look pretty. Pretty serious ball games happen here on the daily.
3. Angels Gate Park Basketball Court
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Location: San Pedro, California
Special features: Unique location, overlooks the Pacific Ocean
Stay nearby: Terranea Resort
Bottom line: Angels Gate Park Basketball Court
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Most people come to Angels Gate Park to see the Korean Bell of Friendship. Basketball players come here to feel as if they are playing at the end of the world, right at the gate of heaven. (Hence the name.)
Built right in front of the Pacific Ocean, this is a great place to practice or play in a chill setting.
2. David Crombie Park Basketball Court
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Location: Toronto, Canada
Special features: Street art, convenient location
Stay nearby: Radisson Blu Toronto Downtown
Bottom line: David Crombie Park Basketball Court
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Location is important to outdoor basketball courts because you want to spend most of your time playing rather than in transit. Right in the middle of downtown Toronto, the basketball court at David Crombie Park lets you do exactly this.
Besides being convenient to get to, the court is simply an awesome place to be, with a large mural that showcases street art and a view of the city’s iconic CN Tower.
1. Venice Beach Basketball Courts
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Location: Venice, California
Special features: Year-round playing, film credits
Stay nearby: Inn at Venice Beach
Bottom line: Venice Beach Basketball Courts
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This world-famous court is known even to people who have never watched a game of basketball. Featured in both "White Men Can’t Jump" and "American History X," the legendary courts are still used daily by the Venice Beach community.
Due to the sunny California weather, you can play a game at these courts no matter the season, which may be why reviewers find it more appealing than any other outdoor basketball court in the world.
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