Cavs Unveil Free Downtown Court on Championship Anniversary

Ten years after LeBron James and the Cavaliers brought Cleveland its first championship in 52 years, the team found the perfect way to celebrate: giving the community a place to play.

The Cavaliers unveiled their Meet Me Here Plaza on June 19, 2026, exactly a decade after that unforgettable Game 7 victory. Located on the corner of East Fourth Street and Huron Road, the plaza features downtown Cleveland's only publicly accessible outdoor basketball court.

For downtown residents, this represents something more valuable than nostalgia. It's a free recreation space in a neighborhood that desperately needed one, offering a place where anyone can shoot hoops without membership fees or building access.

Grant Gilbert, the Cavs' vice president of business and basketball operations, captured the significance at the ribbon cutting. "From the moment we became stewards of the Cavaliers, we saw our roles as helping shine a brighter light on the city, telling its story to the world, and investing in making the future even brighter," he said.

City councilman Richard Starr emphasized the collaborative effort behind the project. "This court represents what is possible when organizations, community leaders, residents and partners come together around a shared vision," he noted.

The Ripple Effect

The new court signals something bigger happening in Cleveland's downtown development. While construction continues across the street on Cosm, part of the Gilbert family's expansive Bedrock entertainment projects, this basketball court serves a different purpose: it's not about tickets or revenue, but about access.

The opening celebration drew hundreds of Clevelanders in wine and gold, featuring appearances from Cavs legends Campy Russell, Larry Nance, and Booby Gibson. The Wheelchair Cavaliers played a game, food trucks lined the street, and fans gathered for a commercial-free screening of that historic 2016 Game 7.

The timing couldn't be better for downtown residents who now have a gathering spot that honors the past while building community for the future.