Nike’s New Basketball Court Is Made From 20,000 Pairs Of Used Sneakers

©Nike

Nike’s Shek Lei Grind court, a refurbished community basketball court in Hong Kong.

Located in the city’s Kwai Chung residential neighborhood in Hong Kong, the court’s surface is made of Nike Grind, composed of up to 20,000 pairs of used sneakers. The spot was chosen for its proximity to 14 primary and secondary schools in addition to the region’s need for open recreational space for kids to play. British artist James Jarvis created illustrations of spherical cartoon characters playing basketball that appear across the court.

The Shek Lei Grind court joins other Nike courts around the world that serve as reenergized spaces for sport and community. In collaboration with Parisian artist Stephane Ashpool, Nike & Converse helped refurbish three community courts from 2019 through 2020 in Beijing, Paris and Mexico City. The courts form a network of communal zones for kids to engage with sport — and one another.