Last Saturday, August 6th, The Conrad McRae Youth League celebrated 20 years of their summer game series. The League is New York City’s most popular summer basketball league for teens, with a mix of players from national and locally ranked teams joining in on the competition year after year. McRae, a Brooklyn native, was following his dream of playing in the NBA after a successful career in Europe when he died from a sudden heart attack at 29 years young. His teammates gave him the nickname “McNasty”, which was amusing to those who knew him because they described him as one of the nicest kids in the city. The Conrad McRae Youth League lives on in his name, bringing talented kids together every summer and providing them with a safe space to play the beloved game.
This Family Day event was one you did not want to miss as there was no shortage of free food, prizes, and giveaways. Some of the top High schools in the Tri-State area kicked off the basketball tournament at 9 am, while the Bodega Truck helped fuel the families cheering on their team members from the sidelines.
With back-to-school around the corner, SNIPES set up a booth and handed out school supplies as one of the day’s giveaways. It was a sweltering day in Brooklyn, but that didn’t keep the community from showing up or the competition from balling out. The strong sense of camaraderie and respect for the game was something McNasty would have been proud to see. We can’t wait to see what this tournament has in store. For the latest news and sneaker/streetwear releases, follow us on our Instagram read up on our blog posts, and download the mobile app to stay up to date on everything SNIPES. Stay tuned for a recap of the recent – Anti–Gun Violence Awareness Event and Tournament that took place at Mullaly Park courts on Monday, August 15th. Those who stopped by during halftime took part in the gift card giveaways and learned about potential job opportunities.
