Read first : A French in New York – City of New York, Parks & Recreation

After our Columbus playground sessions, we went up on Lafayette Street to eat breakfast and taste again Eileen Cheesecakes , New York City’s best. Then, Times Square to meet a hometown friend who was in NYC at the same time. It was around 5 pm and we hadn’t played ball yet.
Back in 2004, I went lucky to get in touch with Bobbito. He always helps me to find a run, to see games, to live my passion and explore NYC. On this 23rd September he told me he had a Basketball City league game in Trevor Day school on 87th St. off Central Park West, unfortunately the rosters were fixed so we couldn’t play. We watched Kool Bob Love doing his thing, he made 6 of his 7 threes in the first half and finished with 25 points. His young intern Andre Johnson was on the opposing team, the kid is quick, not afraid to drive in the paint and can kill you with his special crossover. That happened to Bobbito as he was guarding the 17 years old fella, however the mentor rarely misses an opportunity to teach Andre a new bball lesson. Bobbito’s squad won the game by 15 points, a good performance considering the level, some former D1 & overseas players usually compete in this winter league.

It was a real frustration to sit in the stands watching the game. Each time that happens, my legs shakes and my blood boils. Whether it’s a pro or amateur game, I always want to be on the court. My only medicine to cure that ballin’ addiction is doing photography, thanks to the satisfaction of capturing a good move in the right timing. Tuesday 23rd was, against our will, a day-off. Finding a game is not always easy, even in the Mecca of basketball.

24th of September, fifth day in New York and I’ve resisted to shopping temptation…till this Wednesday morning. We chilled a little bit in Lower Manhattan to see some cool stores like Dave’s Quality Meat, Alife Rivington Club, Flight Club, The Reed Space, Classikicks, Transit, Michael K…it was just a check-up tour but all those colorways of sneakers turned down my brain and lead me to this question: Are we condemned in Europe to wear only black, white & grey sneakers ?

It was time to make a break, so we stopped on a playground on Houston St. & Chrystie St. . I came there on July 2007, and I bugged because a year after, the court was freshly painted and the old metallic boards replaced by plexiglas. It’s incredible to see how New York City is taking care of its green areas, providing clean places for the kids, families, sports addicts, it’s a real showcase for the tourists. Anyway, kids were playing 5 on 5 games and we started to shoot when dustmen, with old-timers moves joined us. It seems that each New Yorker has a basketball D.N.A.

Fed up of being just spectators, we had to plan a basketball session, luckily one of Romain’s friend was a student in New York University, so we got access to the gym on 14th St. , just 100 meters far from Union Square. I entered in the locker and it was like Zack Morris’ spirit from “saved by the bell” sitcom was haunting the place ! It was so clean, and everything was in there : weigh-scale, dryer, shower gel, towel dryer and of course dozen of lockers. We followed the gym path, long corridors with “All America” diplomas on the wall, and after a few stairs we arrived in the basement.

A pool, a fitness room, and the most beautiful basketball court I ever played on ; vanished hardwood with purple/black paint and the NYU logo in the center – http://www.nyu.edu/athletics/palladium/maingym.php .

I played full court with some students, it took around one hour to be really hot, but from 9 pm till midnight I burned my sneakers on this crazy basketball court. I was guarding a tall Iranian guy, he was quite good but I succeeded to stop his offensive moves and showed him my French secret, the first step dropping tons of lay-ups and jumps shots on his face.

I felt I could play all night long and this question came again to my mind, why not trying to study in the States before I get too old…?

To be continued…