Local News

Lieberman Building Bridges With Basketball

December 6, 2016 / 6:19 PM CST / CBS Texas

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DALLAS (CBS11) - Children in Dallas will soon have more places to pick up a quick game of hoops, but the motivation behind the effort is about as real-life as it gets.

"I'm a poor kid from a one parent family, no heat, no electricity, no father—one grand parent away from food stamps," said basketball Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman. "Basketball changed my life."

Now, through her charity, Lieberman looks to change others.

Tuesday, a new basketball court funded through the charity, was dedicated in the Dixon Circle neighborhood of South Dallas, a place marked by stray dogs and entrenched poverty. Still, Lieberman says she feels at home.

"I'm every one of these kids," said Lieberman. "My mother couldn't put food on the table; much less buy an airline ticket to send me to the Olympic trials."

Since then, Lieberman's talent has taken her around the world. But, she still calls Dallas home. So she says the ambush murders of five officers this summer broke her heart as well.

"I started bawling in my room," said Lieberman who was at the time traveling with the Sacramento Kings where she's an Assistant Coach. "I couldn't believe my city was under siege."

When then police Chief David Brown called, asking for her help, her response was to bring her Dream Courts to Dallas' most impoverished neighborhoods. The charity will build 12 outdoor courts over the next 3 years—allowing the police department to "gift" them to the community.

"If you and I today went on a court to play two other people we'd have to trust each other, we'd have to believe in each other," said Lieberman. "We want the Dallas police to gift it to their communities, so kids can look at them and go 'Wow! They care about us'."

After the Dream Courts are installed, Lieberman plans to host a basketball camp in the spring with Dallas police officers acting as coaches. She'll also equip some patrol cars with basketballs, so officers will be ready when community policing needs a hand—or a layup. The plan is to add a new court every three months during the next three years; but, the firs two open in Dallas this week.

"I don't know if you recall but we're in Dixon Circle," said former police Chief David Brown. "It's important that we're starting here because this sets the tone for what can happen, not just in Dallas, but all over the country… to show that police and the community don't have to be at odds."

Brown said the new courts will strengthen ties in once anxious communities.

"I see more patrol officers out there," said Jorge Flores. Flores grew up in South Dallas. He's now studying business marketing at El Centro and says he's seeing the neighborhood temperature change toward police. "It's definitely going well. They're making a connection for sure with all the young people."

For now, the friends say they'll take advantage of the Rec Center gym until the weather warms.

"It's gonna be a great asset," said Martin Garcia, who was taking a break from studying for finals. "In the summer time... because right now it's kinda cold."

Until then, they'll just dream.

"Culturally, I know that there's difference," said Lieberman, "I know that there's s racism: but by God, I have a chance to do something right."

Now that's a move that's nothing but net!