Recognizing Dyckman Basketball

Floor Speech

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Mr. ESPAILLAT. Mr. Speaker, I rise this afternoon in recognition and honor of the positive impact of Dyckman Basketball and what it has had on the communities of Inwood, Washington Heights, and across Upper Manhattan.

All summer, players and fans from the community descend on the famed court on 204th Street. I may say that the entire city goes there because of its caliber. In the 1980s, Kenny Stevens, Omar Booth, and Michael Jenkins established the Dyckman Tournament, seeing that basketball was a positive outlet for neighborhoods that were in the throes of the crack epidemic.

Sharon Bond and Kenneth Stevens continue to be the leaders of this program. Since then, it has grown tremendously and now is viewed as the premier--not one of the premiers, but the premier--street ball contest program in the country, which draws crowds, sponsors, and talent from across the Nation.

The courts are equally packed and lively during pickup games and exhibition games, which include top talent such as Kyrie Irving, J.R. Smith, and Kevin Durant.

Basketball is integral to the identity and passion of New York's 13th District. We have the Dyckman Tournament and staff to thank for it.

Don't forget: Go Knicks.

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