Online Exclusive: There’s still time to hit the courts

As October shifts to November, the clouds are increasingly looming overhead and the typical Portland rain showers are soaking the city’s nearly 50 outdoor basketball courts. But before the winter chill truly sets in and the forecasts feature nothing but showers for weeks on end, there is still time for basketball fans to take advantage of the dry weather we have left.

Of course, there’s always the indoor basketball court inside the rec center, although it is likely that the court there would be full compared to any of the various park courts in Portland.

With that said, here are five (in no particular order) outdoor courts that are more advantageous than other park courts. 

The closest in proximity to PSU, being a six-minute drive away, the North Park Blocks is the ideal park at which to play basketball. According to portlandonline.com, the North Park Blocks is the oldest park blocks in all of Portland. Known as an historical site with a 12-foot bronze sculpture of a Chinese wine pitcher, the park also contains public restrooms as well as a paved playground.

As for the basketball court itself, expect a lot of shade due to the massive trees that surround the court. Besides a slight opening from the walkway leading from the street to the court, the majority of the trees shroud the two-hoop court, making it almost like a basketball court in the forest. 

Located on Northeast Killingsworth Street between 19th and 22nd Avenues, Alberta Park is approximately 11 minutes away from the Portland State campus. Besides the basketball court, the park also has an off-leash area for dogs, a soccer field, a baseball field and a tennis court.

The basketball court is the gem of all numerous courts, however, due to the massive roof that covers the hoops. This helps retain the “nature” aspect of the outdoor court while also deflecting any unexpected precipitation.  

This North Shaver Street park is just a 12-minute drive away from Portland State. The park is named after Dr. DeNorval Unthank because of his work against racial discrimination as well as for his public service work. The park itself contains a playground, picnic tables and a soccer field.

Unlike the North Parks Block basketball court, this park doesn’t really have trees surrounding the court. This park court has four basketball hoops split between two separate courts, providing plenty of space for a lot of basketball players. Behind two of those hoops is fence, which definitely helps in preventing loose basketballs from rolling too far away. 

Located on Raleigh Street in northwest Portland, Wallace Park is approximately eight minutes from the PSU campus. The park has a horseshoe pit, a reservable picnic area, a large soccer field as well as 11 bronze objects hidden all around the park in unexpected places.

The basketball court itself is within reach of the large soccer field as well as being within reach of a playground, a feature in which any parent would rejoice. The four-hoop court also is within reach of port-a-potties, ideal for when nature calls. 

Being approximately 14 minutes away from Portland State, Lents Park is the furthest of the five listed parks. This park is a big advantage compared to the others, however, in that it contains everything that the previous four listed parks have. This includes a reservable picnic area, a playground, a soccer field, a football field, horseshoe pits, softball field as well as a tennis court.

The basketball court and the tennis court are surrounded by streetlights, which is perfect for anybody who chooses to play in the nighttime. You will most likely see basketball players at Lents on the weekends, but the four-hooped court gives enough room to allow many players. This makes Lents perfect for those in need of competition.  

Another advantage of outdoor courts is the resistance factor. Outdoor courts tend to have more challenging conditions like: the double rims seen at most park courts which tend to bounce shots out, the unpredictable gusts of wind that affect shots and the stiffer material of outdoor courts. These rough conditions tend to improve basketball mechanics compared to the boxed environment of an indoor court.