Play Bed-Stuy Courts: Three Pickup Games, One Walk
Three neighborhood courts within a short walk of each other, each with a different surface, crowd, and set of amenities. The route reads as a practical guide to where a pickup game actually holds up on a weekday afternoon.
Three courts, one walk
Shade and a bathroom
Tucked behind Public School 262, this compact park stacks basketball and handball courts against a playground and a seasonal splash pad, with sand and tree cover along one edge. An on-site bathroom is the rare amenity that decides a long session. The footprint is small, so games stay tight and rotations move fast. Visitors do report a recurring urine odor in parts of the grounds.
Asphalt yard, teen crowd
Named for the mathematician and writer Benjamin Banneker, this playground shares a block with P.S. 256 and gives its asphalt yard over to basketball and handball. A climbable camel sculpture marks the entrance for anyone navigating by landmark. Teens hold the court through most afternoons. Herbert Von King Park sits directly across the street, which turns a short game into a longer outdoor stretch. Arrive before school lets out.
Courts on Myrtle Avenue
Basketball courts flank Myrtle Avenue here, backed by handball walls, a single tennis court, and clean public restrooms. Rollerbladers use the open pavement. Bring your own drinks, since visitors report the fountains often sit out of service. The tennis court has no night lighting and usually has a wait. Runners should know there is no track and no field markings anywhere on site. Two Citi Bike docks sit just outside.
