The City of Arlington has a new basketball destination, and it bears the mark of an NBA All-Star whose roots trace back to that very soil. Cade Cunningham, an Arlington native and professional basketball standout, returned to his stomping grounds last Sunday to reveal a state-of-the-art basketball facility at Cravens Park, according to the City of Arlington.
The new installation features a high-performance NexCourt surface, complete with shock-absorbing technology perfect for outdoor games and six pro-level basketball standards that give the court a professional feel and the residents who came out in the hundreds, sampled the same through bounce houses, food trucks and t-shirts accompanied by basketball exhibitions with even Cunningham showcasing his skills demonstrating just how achievable dreams are when the community comes together to support them.
Mayor Jim Ross has declared the day of the unveiling, August 17, as Cade Cunningham Day, a testament to the athlete's contributions and the indelible connection he has carved with his community—as Cunningham told the City of Arlington, “This amount of love is special to me. Special to my family. From the bottom of our hearts, we really do appreciate it.”
Cunningham's career, highlighted by his formative years at Bowie High School in Arlington, subsequent transfer to Montverde Academy, and an illustrious freshman season at Oklahoma State, crescendoed with his selection as the first overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, and his 2025 All-Star nod only cemented his status as a beacon for younger athletes looking for inspiration and with this court, Cunningham hopes to "uplift the community" and provide a foundation for those wishing to work on their dreams just like he did when he was a child with a ball and a dream in Cravens Park.
