Local Kids Trying To Bring NBA Team To Pittsburgh
FOX CHAPEL (KDKA) -- While Pittsburgh is already a wealth of professional sports teams, a dynamic duo in Fox Chapel are working to add another team.
Freddy and Jimmy Hanna are determined to add a professional basketball team to the city's already sterling roster of pros.
The 10 and 11-year-olds have rented billboards in Pittsburgh to spread their message. They're also getting the word out on YouTube.
According to our news partners at the Post-Gazette, the plan was hatched on the long drive back to Pittsburgh during Christmas break. The boys were listening to the Steelers loss to the Ravens, and began to wish they had more teams to enjoy.
The two say basketball in their favorite sport.
"I don't feel like if we want to see a basketball game, we have to drive to Cleveland," Jimmy said.
Through a GoFundMe account, the family is working to get their message out and raise cash. As of Mar. 14, the pair had raised nearly $3,000.
Not all the money is coming from kind-hearted strangers, the brothers pitched in what they could.
"I am giving ALL of my birthday money which is $55 and my brother is giving all of his which is $34," they wrote on their GoFundMe page.
Their dream has reached the ears of NBA commissioner Adam Silver, who the kids had hoped to take out to dinner in the 'Burgh (specifically, the Fox Chapel staple Burgatory). Unfortunately, Silver isn't planning to stop by anytime soon, but he did take the time to respond.
He posted to the NBA Team in Pittsburgh Facebook page, saying in part, "I wanted to thank you for your incredible commitment to the league and your city."
Hi Jimmy, I heard about your and Freddy's campaign to bring an NBA team to Pittsburgh, and I wanted to thank you for...
Posted by Adam Silver on Friday, March 4, 2016
Mt. Lebanon native and owner of the Dallas Mavericks Mark Cuban told the boys to save up their cash. While the nearly $3,000 they have so far is a far cry from the millions NBA teams usually go for, their mom says she thinks their efforts outweigh the outcome.
"The end result to me is less important than the whole process," Ms. Hanna said. "All of this happened within eight weeks, really pretty quick. So whether they're 10 and 11 or 30 and 31, I think that they can be proud that they started a big conversation."
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