Feeling Hoops Culture in L.A.
- March 03, 2026
- Images by:
Basketball has always been about community. The scrappy pick-up games at the neighborhood courts, the winding lines outside the local arena, the head nod you give when you see a coveted PE on a stranger's feet. Every city has its own version of this, its own distinct ownership of the game. No city sets the tone and reflects the passion for hoops like Los Angeles. From the Watts' courts non-stop play to Crenshaw's heated high-school battles to the showmen taking NBA threes at Venice Beach, this city breathes basketball. Its hometown icons get bigger-than-life murals on Melrose Avenue, its NILs are first-name stars (we see you, JuJu). Its ethos is Mamba Mentality. You want to know the vibe of hoops right now? Go to L.A.
Of course, we can't just tell you that. Someone has to show you, someone who sees and feels the game in the city every day. And that's where University of Southern California (USC) photojournalist Kevin Kim comes in. Kim, a sports photographer for USC's Daily Trojan, joined us at All-Star Weekend with a clear assignment: Show us what basketball means here. Through his images below, you'll see why the sport, the fans, the community, and the city are interwoven. The energy is unmatched.
"One word to describe the L.A. hoops scene: Magnetic."
Kevin Kim, USC sport photographer
Nike NIL athlete, JuJu Watkins, at an NBA All-Star 2026 event for her new shoe, the LeBron NXXT Gen by JuJu 'Silver Linings'
At NBA All-Star 2026, the Jumpman unveiled the Jordan Brand House in Inglewood, an experience that intentionally served the local community, where the brand's been a longstanding partner. Since 2015, Jordan Brand invested more than $15 million in grants, scholarships and community programs across Inglewood, Watts, East L.A., downtown L.A. and the "Denas." At the Jordan House, programming included purpose-led events with Union, embracing basketball culture through the Battle of L.A., and inviting athletes like L.A. Lakers star Luka Dončić to share in the action.
L.A. Lakers forward Luka Dončić arrives at the Jordan Brand House in Inglewood
For Nike's part, the brand curated a host of activities at Crenshaw High School. Community activations to showcase local creatives and basketball-inspired products; competitions that spotlighted local pride, like the legendary Crenshaw vs Dorsey rivalry game; and moments to gather and celebrate hoops, such as a viewing of the Nike Basketball and L.A. icon George Raveling's documentary "Unraveling George."
Nike and Crenshaw High School unveiled a refreshed look inside the school's athletic facilities, including updates to the main and small gyms, new basketball hoops, artwork enhancements, and improvements to team spaces. These upgrades set the stage for the week and show the brand's intent to grow the game, from grassroots up.
"Being court side, the energy doesn’t come from one direction — it comes from everywhere. It’s the players playing, the fans voicing the emotion, and it’s making everyone feel like they’re part of something bigger."
Kevin Kim, USC sport photographer
"In L.A., the pros and the college players who’ve made it, they give back to the community. It matters to them to support their neighborhood and the players who’ll come up through it."
Kevin Kim, USC sport photographer
“Working with LeBron to co-create a first is wild,” says Nike athlete JuJu Watkins. “It’s built for my game, my story. Shaping something to share with the next generation of hoopers means everything.”
With her 'Silver Linings' shoe, Nike NIL athlete JuJu Watkins is the first athlete to co-create the design of a hoop shoe within the LeBron NXXT Gen platform, which was unveiled in her home of Watts in South Los Angeles. JuJu has deep ties to her community and to Nike, and LeBron, she represents the best of the future of the game.
The best part of L.A.'s dedication to basketball is that, every year, every month, every week, the energy evolves and changes and layers are added — new athletes rise, seasoned pros mature, rivalries deepen, and the style, music and communities around the sport grow. No matter your city allegiance, if you love hoops, you can love that.
