HOUSTON — With many of us keeping track of the teams taking part in the NCAA Tournament, we’re all about basketball right now.
And if you love basketball, you should also have a deep appreciation for the Fondé Community Center.
It’s played a huge role in putting Houston on the basketball map. It’s been an institution in Houston’s Sixth Ward for decades, considered by many as the basketball Mecca of Houston.
Taylor Brimmer is a manager of the Fondé.
"It's kinda like, for me, putting on a Houston Rockets jersey. Very proud, very honored to have this position, to be here, a part of Fondé and its legacy and to kinda push the legacy forward," Brimmer said.
Fondé has been the training ground for Houston basketball legends. It’s where the great Moses Malone helped a young Hakeem Olajuwon hone his skills. And other greats practiced there, too. Names like Clyde Drexler, Elvin Hayes and Calvin Murphy.
It continues to be a place where players of all ages, former pros and future pros, come to get it on and keep up their skills. Players like James Legan, who grew up in Houston, have been going there since he was 16. Now, he plays pro ball in Australia.
"You got people that come from all walks of this world, they know about the Fonde, and that just goes to show you what this means to the city and I’m just happy to be a part of it," Legan said.
Jonathan Blake, who they call J.B., helps organize lunchtime games. He also grew up in Houston. He's played in the NBA and in overseas leagues in Russia and China. He said you can't help but feel the vibe at Fondé.
"The atmosphere is there, definitely something in the air that makes you play better here," Blake said. "It’s, like, a little grittiness."
Blake said the gym is always filled with talent.
"They're very competitive, I'll tell you that. You better leave your name at the door, just bring your game," Blake said.
Fondé has a worldwide reputation but first and foremost, it serves Houston and its athletes -- past, present and future.
"The game is always progressing. To see the kids grow and evolve in the game, push it forward, I love it," Brimmer said.
So as you get ready to watch the Final Four, know this -- a lot of the athletes in the tournament have practiced at the Fondé or will be practicing there in the future -- honing their skills and working on their game in the shadow of legends.