BSE Global, the parent company of the New York Liberty and Brooklyn Nets, is set to open a new youth basketball training center across from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. This facility, which will occupy the former site of Modell’s Sporting Goods—an establishment that closed its doors in 2020 following bankruptcy—aims to foster community engagement and support youth development through sports.
Scheduled to open this fall, the 18,600-square-foot complex will be operated by Brooklyn Basketball, the organization’s community youth sports program. The center is designed to serve as a hub for local youth, offering a variety of after-school programs, training camps, and clinics. Additionally, it will feature a dedicated homework area to support students academically.
While the announcement touted a “community-first basketball experience,” specifics regarding potential fees for the programs have not been disclosed. BSE Global has not yet responded to inquiries about this aspect of the facility. The new center is intended to enhance Brooklyn Basketball’s existing outreach, which already includes partnerships with over 200 city schools and numerous community clinics throughout Brooklyn.
The training center will include two full basketball courts, a half-court designated as a “shooting lab,” and multipurpose flooring suitable for various events. Programming will cater to children aged 6 to 10 years old on weekdays, with a special focus on all-girls training sessions scheduled for Wednesdays.
Sandy Brondello, head coach of the New York Liberty, expressed enthusiasm for the project, stating, “The Brooklyn Basketball Training Center is a game-changer, not just for basketball, but for the entire Brooklyn community. It’s about giving the next generation a space to learn the fundamentals, be inspired, and create the sense of community that basketball so brilliantly provides.”
This initiative was initially revealed in September, accompanied by preliminary schematics of the facility layout, as reported by Atlantic Yards Report.
While the community looks forward to the opening of the training center, residents are also awaiting the progress of another nearby development project. Greenland, a development firm, had plans to deck over the railyards east of the Barclays Center and construct hundreds of affordable apartments. However, as of now, the project has yet to break ground, raising concerns among community members about the fulfillment of a legally binding agreement established in 2014, which includes penalties for delays.
As excitement builds for the new youth basketball training center, it promises to be a valuable resource for Brooklyn’s youth, encouraging physical activity, teamwork, and personal development through the sport of basketball.
