NBA legend Luc Longley launches Hahn’s half court, half pub at Moore Park’s Entertainment Quarter
It’s at the “roots” of basketball and Australian Luc Longley, who won three NBA Championships with the legendary Michael Jordan, is looking to grow the game with a new concept.
Wentworth Courier
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It’s at the “roots” of basketball and Australian Luc Longley, who won three NBA Championships with the legendary Michael Jordan, is looking to grow the game down under.
Having played at centre during the Chicago Bulls’ second three-peat from 1996-98, Longley believes “getting people together and playing social basketball is where the growth is at”.
That’s why it was a no brainer to partner with Hahn to commission and launch the first-ever outdoor “pub with a twist”.
And there’s no better place to hold the half-court, half pub event than at Hoops Park in Moore Park’s Entertainment Quarter - a new basketball precinct where the Sydney Kings train.
“This is the Entertainment Quarter and Basketball is supposed to be fun and entertaining,” Longley told the Wentworth Courier.
“We’ve combined social basketball with having a beer afterwards ... it’s about coming together to be around your mates and hang out.”
What makes the venue even more special for Longley is the mural of NBA legends, including teammate Michael Jordan, Allen Iverson, Lebron James, Steph Curry and himself.
“It’s a little bit surreal, to be honest,” Longley said.
“Even though it’s been that long ... it feels like another life [ago], I’m so proud of it.
“It’s great people are sort off remembering and recognising it.”
The free event started on Sunday, and runs for the next two weeks, and those who RSVP will be welcomed with a free Hahn beer where they can watch 48 teams battle for a $12,000 prize pool.
There’s also plenty of music to “bring the vibe” with DJ Chumpion performing for the first two Sunday’s and Aussie rapper 360 performing at the after party following the tournament’s grand final on February 25.
“We’ll see some great basketball [and] we’ll see some garbage, you get everything” Longley said.
“What we will see is a lot of people having fun, including me.”
And while Longley isn’t as hopeful of any players from this event making it to the NBA, he believes it’s the right start as the game gets “better and better”.
“The game is becoming more entrenched in the community,” he said.
“I don’t think it’s going anywhere ... in fact it’s going to get bigger and bigger.
“There’s literally hundreds of young [Australian’s], men and women, playing college basketball in America ... because [we] do it the right way and play hard.
“For me, that’s a real indicator of where we’re at [as a country].”
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