The Dyckman Basketball Tournament is one of the premier summer streetball tournaments in New York City. It is located in Monsignor Kett Playground a.k.a. Dyckman Park in the Washington Heights/Inwood section of Manhattan. What was a one division, six-team tournament in its first season in 1990 is currently a tournament with six age divisions, containing a total of 77 teams. Its college/pro division is the most notable of them all, on any given night you are liable to see NBA, NCAA, and overseas professionals on the court.
History
The tournament was formed by Kenneth Stevens, Omar Booth, and Michael Jenkins in an effort to provide a positive outlet for the community. Inwood, like many other neighborhoods in inner cities during the late 1980s was plagued by the crack epidemic. The community was infested with drugs, crime and interracial turf wars between the emerging Dominican population and the existing black population in the area. During this time Monsignor Kett Playground was in horrible conditions and free of basketball and any related activities. The park that was once known for being a Holcombe Rucker site during the 1970s was now an eyesore for the community and area residents. Stevens, Booth, and Jenkins painted the court and restored the park to conditions apt to host a tournament. The three believed creating a basketball tournament would spark positive relations through sport, community and goodwill, thus changing the culture in the community and furthering the effort to better the community. In its first season the tournament hosted a six-team, twelve-man roster playing in a five-game regular season leading to the playoffs. The tournament continued to progress every year with help from local businesses who sponsored the tournament. On its tenth anniversary it landed its first corporate sponsor in Converse (shoe company). From there on they have received sponsorships from numerous corporate companies in addition to their local supporters. Their biggest sponsors have been Nike, Inc., who has been affiliated since 2004. In 2011 Nike formed a team in the tournament with the top street ballers in NYC and named them “Team Nike.” Coached by the legendary Maxwell "Bingo" Cole, they won the championship.
Divisions
College-Pro Division: 19 Teams
High School Division: 16 Teams
Junior Division: 16 Teams
Biddy Division: 14 Teams
Pee Wee Division: 6 Teams
Super Pee Wee Division: 6 Teams
Regular season/Playoffs (College/Pro Division)
7 regular season games
2 Conferences
Teams are seeded 1-8 on both sides
Playoffs are one game elimination
Past champions (College/Pro Division)
1990 - Dyckman
1991 - Dyckman
1992 - Dyckman
1993 - Head Bangers
1994 - Regulators
1995 - Head Bangers
1996 - Big Tyme
1997 – N/A
1998 –N/A
1999 - Da Fundamentalz
2000 -The Wall
2001 - The Wall
2002 - Team and 1
2003 - Takes No Prisoners
2004 - Takes No Prisoners
2005 - 84th St. 2006 - Takes No Prisoners 2007 - Dominican Power 2008 - Bingo's All-Stars 2009 - Bingo's All-Stars 2010 - Takes No Prisoners 2011 - Team Nike 2012 – Team 914 2013 - BodySnatchers 2018 - TMT/Showstoppers
Notable players
Rick Apodaca
Ron Artest
Sean Banks
Michael Beasley
Corey Brewer
Trey Burker
Keydren Clark
Baron Davis
Adris De León
DeMar DeRozan
Markelle Fultz
Kevin Durant
Jerome Dyson
Gary Ervin
Tyreke Evans
Corey Fisher
Luis Flores
Gary Forbes
Sundiata Gaines
Francisco García
Ricardo Greer
Dwight Hardy
Jeremy Hazell
JJ Hickson
Brandon Jennings
Felipe López
Anthony Morrow
Allan Ray
Kareem Reid
Terry Rozier
Kenny Satterfield
Iman Shumpert
Chris Smith
J. R. Smith
Edgar Sosa
Curtis Stinson
Curtis Sumpter
Tyshawn Taylor
Charlie Villanueva
Kemba Walker
Corey Williams
Curtis Dennis
Jarrid Famous
Kyrie Irving
References
The Dyckman Basketball Tournament is also featured in the 2003 Billboard Magazine Sports & Recreation TOP 10 DVD-"STREETBALL CLASSICS. VOL. 1