Arlington Celebrates Cade Cunningham Day with New Basketball Court
Published on August 28, 2025
By Arlington Parks & Recreation
Arlington native and NBA All-Star Cade Cunningham returned to his hometown on Aug. 17, 2025, to unveil a brand-new outdoor basketball court and six professional-level basketball standards at Cravens Park, 400 Cravens Park Dr. The project was fully funded by Cunningham and the Cunningham family.
The new court, installed by NexCourt, features a high-performance, shock-absorbing surface designed for outdoor play, along with pro-quality rims and backboards. The investment ensures residents have access to a top-tier facility for both recreation and competitive play.
Mayor Jim Ross commemorated the event by officially proclaiming August 17, 2025, as Cade Cunningham Day in Arlington. Hundreds of community members attended the celebration, which featured bounce houses, food trucks, t-shirt giveaways, and basketball exhibitions—including action from Cunningham himself.
“I couldn’t have imagined anything like this,” said Cunningham. “This amount of love is special to me. Special to my family. From the bottom of our hearts, we really do appreciate it.”
He added, “We hope that this court uplifts the community. Hopefully, it makes the city of Arlington a better place to come work on their dreams and get on the court. I came here (Cravens Park) as a kid, was able to work on my game, and hopefully the next generation can follow my path.”
Cunningham attended Bowie High School in Arlington for his freshman and sophomore years, where he earned District 4-6A Newcomer of the Year honors as a freshman and was named District 4-6A Co-Most Valuable Player and a Texas Association of Basketball Coaches All-Region selection as a sophomore before transferring to Montverde Academy in Florida. After earning multiple Player of the Year honors during his freshman season at Oklahoma State, Cunningham was selected first overall in the 2021 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons. He went on to be named an NBA All-Star in 2025 and was one of three finalists for the league’s Most Improved Player Award.
The new court stands as a lasting tribute to Cunningham’s hometown pride and his commitment to inspiring the next generation of 817 athletes.