TIME TO REALLY HOOP IT UP

Veniceball marks 20 years of pickup court competition

- Benjamin Royer

CHRIS STAPLES, a former Harlem Globetrotter and world slam dunk champion, competes in the dunk contest during Legends Weekend in Venice.

Venice Beach carried all the traits of a party Sunday evening:'90s R&B tunes from DJs, social influencers with tripods in tow — showing up to get a view of the basketball courts to find out what the fuss was all about and enough flashing lights to grab any European tourist's attention.

Much of what you would have found during Legends Weekend in Venice - celebrating 20 years of basketball culture and community — had the classic hallmarks of the antics found on the boardwalks, down to the crowds surrounding performers such as “2K The Clown” and his posse dancing in clown makeup at the half-court logo as the blue-andorange sunset faded from day to night.

At the center of all the madness — a weekend honoring Kobe Bryant (who broke his wrist in 2000 attempting a dunk at the courts) and many other late streetball icons who made their impact on the boardwalk — was Nick Ansom. Ansom, who rollerskated up and down the basketball court with a plastic orange top hat, is the founder and chief executive officer of Veniceball.

MARCUS HENRY spins the golden ball he received for winning the three-point contest. Each competition provided its own flair.

Ask the legends — who have been playing physical, hard-nosed basketball on the courts for half a century — or up-and-coming basketball players who have made Venice their own with their slick style on the courts: Ansom is the heart and soul of modern-day Venice basketball, the man who's kept the mission — of basketball and family — moving and growing year by year.