World's greatest pickup basketball game?

There's an article in today's paper ranking the best pickup basketball games in Los Angeles. It's not much of a contest. The UCLA Men's Gym (a.k.a. Student Activities Center) probably has the best game anywhere in the world. There might be a practice court somewhere in Beijing that can keep up for another week or so. After that, expect some gold medal winners to be ballin' again in Westwood.

The games in the Men's Gym are one of many badly kept secrets in Los Angeles. Periodically they'll get some press (like today) and fan attendance will spike for a couple of weeks. That's good news for autograph seekers, but not always good news for the people managing the facility. If things get too crowded, there's a distinct possibility that doors will be closed to the public.

Space is so limited that games literally overlap. On two of the three courts, the ball isn't out-of-bounds unless it hits the wall. The players enjoy the pace and opponents will sometimes call "Play! Play!" when out-of-bounds is in question. The standing-room-only baseline is tight, and if you aren't paying attention you risk becoming a cushion for a falling 6-foot-8 giant.

Bottom line: These games are a lot of fun, but be respectful. Even though many headliners are at the Olympics, don't be surprised if you can't get in to watch for a few days after this article hits newsstands. If you want to play, you'd better have serious credentials. After-work leaguers need not apply.

—Adam Rose

Photo: Fans take a picture with John Wooden's original chalk board, still hanging at the legendary UCLA Men's Gym. Today, the board is part of the out-of-bounds line for elite pickup games.

Comments

[heather]

I found a site that has a review section for the pickup games at each basketball court in the US. Its http://nofouls.com you have to sign up to see them which is free but kind of annoying.