San Antonio Spurs forward Harrison Barnes unveils refurbished basketball court in Austin
AUSTIN (KXAN) -- In an effort to improve the quality of youth basketball, current San Antonio Spurs forward Harrison Barnes, and his wife Brittany, unveiled a refurbished court Wednesday at the Boys & Girls Club of the Austin Area Headquarters.
Barnes has only been with the Spurs organization for one season, but the 13-year NBA veteran is already making a difference not just on the court but in the community.
"I grew up in the Boys & Girls Club," Barnes said. "A lot of their experiences are my experience, so any time I can try to hopefully enhance the facilities that they have and let them know that someone's thinking about them, I think that's good."
As a former "club kid," Barnes and his wife made this their next step in a three-city court refurbishment effort through the Harrison and Brittany Barnes Community Fund.
MORE THAN THE SCORE: Stay up to date on sports stories like these, and sign up for our More than the Score sports newsletter at kxan.com/newsletters
Wednesday's ribbon-cutting ceremony helped display a new fencing structure, screens and flooring on the basketball court.
"I think to have a nice basketball court, to want to come out here and play, to have a positive outlet, I think those things are important," he said. "To have these types of opportunities that they can go and do that, hopefully it'll pay dividends for them down the road."