Where to play pickup basketball in New York

Pickup basketball in New York is easiest at an outdoor court a few minutes' walk from a train your group already rides. In Lower Manhattan, two strings of public courts cover most of the subway map, one on the Lower East Side and one along the Hudson River. Your friends live in three boroughs, half of them ride the F and the rest ride the 1, and every week someone spends an hour getting to the game.

This post suggests seven courts and how to choose between them. Then it covers getting enough players, a backup for rain or a full court, and the trains home after a late game. It is part of our guide to New York.

Where to play pickup basketball close to everyone's train?

Pick the side of Lower Manhattan your group reaches without a transfer. The Lower East Side courts sit on the B, D, F and L, and the river courts sit on the 1.

Our picks in New York

Chosen by the Where2Meet team. Photos, ratings and addresses load live from Google Maps.

• Grand Street Basketball Courts

  Play after work here, since these outdoor courts at the south end of Sara D. Roosevelt Park are open until 1 a.m., the latest of these picks. The Grand St station on the B and D is about a 2-minute walk away.

• Basketball Courts

  Keep these courts as the backup for the Grand Street courts, or the other way around, since both are in Sara D. Roosevelt Park. They are at the Houston Street end, about a 2-minute walk from the 2 Av station on the F.

• Basketball Courts

  Players from Brooklyn and Queens get a direct train home from these courts in Seward Park on the Lower East Side, because the F runs all night. The East Broadway station on the F is about a 3-minute walk away.

• Tompkins Square Park Basketball Courts

  Friends on the L can ride from Williamsburg or Bushwick without a transfer to these outdoor courts inside Tompkins Square Park in the East Village. They are about an 8-minute walk from the 1 Av station on the L.

• Canal Street Basketball Court

  For a game that runs late on the west side, this court in Hudson River Park at the west end of Canal Street is open until midnight. It is about a 10-minute walk from the Canal St station on the 1.

• Basketball Court at Harrison St

  Bike to this court on Pier 25 in Hudson River Park in Tribeca, since it is on the Hudson River Greenway. It is open until midnight and about a 9-minute walk from the Franklin St station on the 1.

• Basketball half courts

  Bring a smaller group for three on three to these half courts in West Thames Park in Battery Park City. The Rector St station on the 1 is about a 7-minute walk away.

Google Maps

The hours and walk times on these cards come from Google Maps as of October 2026.

The east side courts suit players from Brooklyn and Queens on the F and the L.

The river courts suit players from the West Side and New Jersey. PATH trains stop at World Trade Center, and the 1 runs from WTC Cortlandt one stop south to Rector St and two stops north to Franklin St.

How many players do you need for a pickup game?

A full-court game needs ten, five on each side. With fewer, play half court, where three on three needs six and two on two needs four.

Set the day, the time and the court in one message a day ahead, and ask everyone for a yes or a no. Count the yeses before you pick the court. With six or seven players, the West Thames half courts fit better than a full court.

What's the backup if it rains or the court is full?

Pick a second court before game day, close to the first. Outdoor courts have no roof, and a wet court is slippery.

On the east side, the two Sara D. Roosevelt Park courts back each other up, since they're in the same park along Chrystie Street. On the west side, the Canal Street and Harrison Street courts are both on the river path in Hudson River Park.

For rain, set a cutoff time, such as two hours before the game, to call it off or move it. NYC Parks recreation centers in all five boroughs have indoor courts. Leagues and events need a permit to use a city court, but a pickup game at an open court doesn't.

How does everyone get home after a late game?

Check the court's closing time and the train home together. The Grand Street courts are open until 1 a.m. and both Hudson River Park courts until midnight.

The B runs on weekdays only and not late at night, so after a late game at Grand Street, take the D. The F, L and 1 run all night. The MTA's late-night subway map shows every line that runs overnight. Track work changes service on some weekends, so check the planned service changes before game day.

For food after the game, see how to pick a restaurant for a group dinner. If the game is part of a longer Saturday, see how to plan a weekend hangout with friends.

How to do it in Where2Meet

Where2Meet lets the group choose the court together from one shared link.

1. Open Where2Meet, type Pickup basketball in the first box, and set the day and the time.
2. Send the link to the group chat. Nobody needs an account.
3. Each player adds where they're coming from. An approximate area is enough.
4. Search for basketball courts around the group, or look one up by name. Compare each player's travel time by transit, walking, car or bike, and see the routes on the map.
5. Vote on the courts you like. The organizer picks the final court, and everyone sees it without a refresh.

Common questions

How do I find basketball courts near me in New York?

NYC Parks lists its outdoor courts by borough and ZIP code on its basketball courts page. Google Maps shows them too.

Do you need to reserve a basketball court in New York?

Not for pickup basketball. NYC Parks asks organized leagues and special events to get a permit, and a pickup game just shows up and plays.

Is it free to play at outdoor courts in New York?

Yes. The courts in this post are in public parks, with no fee to play. Indoor courts at NYC Parks recreation centers need a membership.