Photo via Big3.com
André Emmett grew up playing basketball at the Oak Cliff YMCA, and now every kid who plays there will know his name.
Nancy Lieberman Charities and Toyota donated a new basketball court to the Y and dedicated it to Emmett. It’s the 90th “Dream Court” that Lieberman has donated, but this one was more personal.
Emmett, who was shot and killed during a driveway robbery in East Dallas in September 2019, graduated from Carter High School, where he was a basketball standout. He played under coat Bobby Knight at Texas Tech University before playing professional basketball for 14 seasons, including stints with the Memphis Grizzlies and New Jersey Nets.
He and Lieberman became friends through the Big 3 league, where the hall-of-famer is a coach and Emmett was a player.
“We formed an inseparable bond,” Lieberman said during an emotional speech at the dedication last week.
She described Emmett, who was 37, as a wonderful father to his two young daughters and a son who always looked up to his mother for guidance in all things.
The great Hall-of-Famer @NancyLieberman - sharing her love for #andreemmett - the late @NBA and @thebig3 player killed last year. @NLCharities dedicated a dream court today at the YMCA -Hampton in Dallas in his memory. @TexasMetroNews pic.twitter.com/U4ajpSUeeV
— Dorothy J. Gentry (@DorothyJGentry) August 7, 2020
"We've opened 90 courts and none mean more than this!” - @NancyLieberman 👏🏀✨Congratulations to our friend & @NLCharities on the grand opening of their 90th #dreamcourt in honor of Andrew Emmett, former Carter High & @TexasTechMBB star + fully sponsored by @toyota! pic.twitter.com/w05nA3S9AK
— Tony Fay (@TonyFayPR) August 7, 2020
Thank you to the Nancy Lieberman Charities and Toyota for the generous donation of the 90th Dream Court located at the Oak Cliff YMCA. This basketball court was donated in honor of Andre Emmett #DreamCourts @caseyt07 @DPDCA @DallasPAL @dallasmavs @CityOfDallas pic.twitter.com/aK2EA2x7JM
— RENEÉ HALL (@ChiefHallDPD) August 7, 2020
