Last updated: January 26th, 2020
Looking to get shots up but haven’t found an open court in the city? We got your back. We’ve scouted out all outdoor basketball courts around San Francisco to figure out which ones are currently open (with hoops & rims) and have put together this running list for the community.
We will do our best to keep this list up-to-date, but things may change pretty quickly in this environment. Please email us at info@squadz.com if you find any of these courts have been closed.
Note from The Squadz Team: We do not condone reckless use of facilities that might jeopardize the containment of the COVID-19 virus. Please wear a mask whenever possible and keep your distance from people outside of your group. We simply want this to be a helpful resource for families, roommates, or quarantine units to get outside and play responsibly.
NEWS: The city is slowly reopening courts to see how things go, so it is more important now than ever to follow health protocols that way they continue to open more - please do not play pickup games with people outside of your household.
Dogpatch Community Court
Dogpatch - Minnesota Street
Renovated by the Golden State Warriors in 2016, this court is located behind the Alive & Free Omega Boys Club building in the Dogpatch neighborhood. Although the full court has a few cracks in it, it does have two good quality hoops perfect for shooting around and pretending you’re Klay Thompson for an hour. There is a gate with a door entrance by the parking lot (which may be locked from time to time).
Commodore Sloat Elementary School
Balboa Terrace - darien way & san rafael way
The schoolyard at Commodore Sloat Elementary School is open to the community via Darien Way. There is one full court with 10 foot rims and one full court with mini hoops for the kids, but there are no 3-point lines. To reach the court, descend the stairs and walk to the other end of campus. Be aware that the yard is closed from 7pm - 7am each day.
Grattan Playground
cOle valley - Stanyan Street & Rivoli Street
This spacious playground in the Cole Valley neighborhood has a clean full court and great views of the city. It also has tennis courts and plenty of space for outdoor workouts or games with kids. If you can brace the wind and master the double rims, you’ll be coming out of quarantine ready to splash.
Kelloch & Velasco Mini Park
Visitacion valley - kelloch avenue & velasco avenue
There’s nothing mini about this beautiful double full court in Visitacion Valley. The park is subject to windy conditions, but the concrete is well-kept and the hoops are in prime condition with new backboards and rims. It is commonly frequented by locals and each basket is first-come, first-serve, so we recommend arriving early if you want a hoop to yourself.
Palou & Phelps Mini Park
Bayview - palou avenue & phelps street
The Palou & Phelps Mini Park sports one newly renovated half court with great cover from the wind (so no excuses, indoor shooters). Be careful with children or losing balls to the street as the court is not completely enclosed and there may sometimes be traffic.
Everett Middle School
Mission District - Church street
As long as the gates are open (which they usually are), you won’t have trouble finding a hoop at Everett Middle School. The schoolyard has 11 baskets spread across a massive blacktop, so maintaining social distance while shooting around should be a breeze. Although the hoops have no nets and unforgiving backboards, the rims are solid and the courts have 3-point lines.
Upper Noe Recreation Center [CURRENTLY CLOSED]
Noe Valley - Day street
As of now, the indoor gymnasium at Upper Noe Rec is closed (it’s only open for city youth programs), but the pristine outdoor court is accessible to the public. While we strongly discourage playing with anybody outside of your immediate family or living unit, this court has been a popular spot for local hoopers during quarantine. Plan accordingly if you’d like your own hoop because you might find a pickup game going on at peak times.
Raoul Wallenberg Traditional High School
North of the Panhandle - vega street & Nido avenue
These old school basketball hoops are located right next to Raoul Wallenberg Traditional High School - the entrance is on Vega St and Nido Ave. There are five basketball hoops scattered across the cement blacktop. The two basketball hoops on the far side are old, but in by far the best condition (one of the other hoops is even missing part of its backboard). While the courts and rims are not in the best condition, a hoop is a hoop and a bucket is a bucket. If you can make it rain on this court, you will easily feel like Steph Curry next time you walk into a gym. Please note that the gate is sometimes locked.
Merced Heights Playground
Merced heights - Shields Street
Merced Heights Playground is one of 5 new playgrounds opening in 2020. With all new blacktops for basketball, tennis, and even volleyball, this playground is soon to be a regional destination. Look at how clean that court looks…beautiful. The youth clubhouse runs programming during the weekdays, so the basketball court may be in use or locked depending on their schedule. Check it out if you can!
Junipero Serra Playground
Lakeside - Stonecrest drive
If you can brave the cold air and wet fog, drive on down to Junipero Serra playground near Lake Merced on the west side of SF. Smaller backboards require better accuracy, and more precision. Are you up for it? There’s two rims on this full court, and you may have to deal with some tennis balls flying by. That’s just practice for your peripheral vision! Get there early, as these courts often are taken by other hoopers.
Treasure Island Elementary School
Treasure Island - 13th Street
Stuck in traffic on the Bay Bridge? Pull over into Treasure Island and get some shots up at this very random basketball court on the bay. Located in the back corner of a massive parking lot behind Aracely Cafe and what seemingly used to be Treasure Island Elementary School, this old court may not offer much, but it gets the job done. Two hoops with rims? We’ll take it. If you’re lucky, you might also be able to find some outdoor basketball courts on the property of HOME on Treasure Island across the street if the gates are open.
Margaret S. Hayward Playground
Fillmore - Laguna Street
The brand-spanking new basketball courts at Margaret S. Hayward Playground in the Fillmore have just opened for community access. There are 2 full courts with pristine blacktops and crisp white lines. Parking isn’t ideal and residents in the neighborhood use the courts frequently, so if you want to make sure you get a basket, arrive early!
Duboce Park
Duboce Triangle - Duboce Street
Historic Duboce Park in central San Francisco is a small urban park sporting unique recreation amenities. Situated near Harvey Milk Recreation Center for the Arts, a lone basketball court with 6 (!) hoops at varying heights is now open to the public! It’s small, so try to use only 1 of the hoops at each end to maintain social distancing!
McKinley Elementary School
Castro - 14th Street
The McKinley Elementary School yard is accessible via the 14th St entrance. There is a small gate that, when unlocked, provides community members with an awesome open basketball court! One caveat is that the ground is sloped, so one basket may feel shorter than the other. Do not trespass if the gate is locked!
Joe DiMaggio Playground
NORTH BEACH - Lombard Street
Joe DiMaggio Playground in North Beach is a staple for SF amateur basketballers. The lights allow for play at night, and you can often find people using all the spaces at DiMaggio well into the evening. Sporting one full court and several half courts, this space is great for socially distanced play. Just watch out for the tennis players using the hitting wall and soccer players training on the blacktop! This playground just happens to be across the street from one of our most beloved partner venues: Tel Hi Neighborhood Center!
Miraloma Playground
MIRALOMA - Sequoia Way
Hidden away among the slopes leading up to Mt. Davidson, Miraloma Playground is an awesome spot for all your sports needs. Specifically for basketball, a beautiful blue full sized court is built with walls to combat the incessant wind at that height. This is a frequently used playground, so you’ll want to go at off-peak times for maximum playing time.
Mission Playground
mission district - Valencia Street
Off Valencia St and 19th St lies Mission Playground - a gorgeous recently renovated recreation space for soccer players, tennis players and basketball players. The basketball court is near the back of the park with a full size court and two hoops. Rain can collect easily on this court, so make sure to come on a dry day!
Buchanan Street Mall
Fillmore - Golden Gate Avenue
Buchanan Street Mall includes a simple half court set up in the Fillmore district between McAllister St and Golden Gate Ave. The colorful paint job accentuates the court in a very appealing and inviting way. The surrounding trees help with wind cover, and you can often find this court available to use if the nearby Margaret S. Hayward courts are overflowing with players.
James Rolph Jr. Playground
Potrero district - Potrero Avenue
Just across from Potrero del Sol, the largest skate park in San Francisco, is James Rolph Jr. Playground on the corner of Cesar Chavez and Potrero Avenue. Getting to this playground can be tricky and confusing, due to the cluster of roadways that bicyclists call “The Knot”, but if you can swing it, James Rolph does not disappoint. With tennis courts and multiple basketball hoops, a large baseball diamond & field, it’s an all-in-one recreation destination. There are a few basketball hoops tucked away in a strange arrangement next to the normal full court, but could provide some interesting drill concepts!
Balboa Park Basketball Courts
Balboa park - San Jose Avenue
Outside of the Balboa Park Pool are two half sized basketball courts with 3 point lines. Great for social distancing with your household! Baskets are nice and big with a beautiful SF backdrop.
Little Hollywood Playground
Visitacion valley - Lathrop Avenue
Nestled among the trees in Vis. Valley, Little Hollywood park is a hidden gem with tons of great park amenities. The full basketball court is used fairly often so get there early!
Angelo Rossi Playground
Inner richmond - Arguello Boulevard
Angelo Rossi Plagyround in the inner Richmond is a major recreation hub for San Francisco residents. There’s a pool, baseball diamond, tennis court and full sized basketball court all in the same place! The basketball court blends in very nicely with the elegant buildings surrounding the park. The park is recently renovated (the pool is still under construction), so enjoy the quality amenities it has to offer!
Glen Park School
Glen Park - Brompton Avenue
When the Glen Park School gate is open to community members, you can use a retro style full court with Warriors-inspired decals. No 3 point line and small backboards mean that post players and lane finishers will love this court! Do not trespass on school ground if it is closed.
Fulton Playground
Outer Richmond - 27th avenue
Very nice full court + half court addition north of Golden Gate Park in the Outer Richmond. Fulton Playground has an awesome collection of playground amenities in the smaller space. Three basketball hoops show how it’s built for the basketball community!
Hamilton Rec. Outdoor Court
Fillmore District - Geary Boulevard
Hamilton Recreation Center has awesome indoor facilities…but did you know that it has great outdoor options too? Head on down to Hamilton’s full sized court and get some shots up! Practice so you’re ready when the indoor gym opens!
Larsen Playground
Sunset District - Vicente Street
A well-traveled court hailing from the Sunset, Larsen Playground is a no frills full sized court that should suit your outdoor needs. Bring a hoodie and get some shots up!
South Sunset Playground
Sunset district - Vicente Street
Not too far from Larsen Playground is South Sunset Playground in the Sunset. Newly renovated, the recreation area is gorgeous. New volleyball court, tennis court and 2 full sized basketball courts with new backboards and rims. Adjacent to the South Sunset fields, this space allows for all sorts of recreation opportunities and activities.
Silver Terrace Athletic Fields
Silver terrace - Silver Avenue
Located in the back of the athletic complex, the two full sized basketball courts at Silver Terrace are brand new and sparklingly pretty. The entire complex is extremely nice but also extremely beloved by residents - so be aware of how many people are there at any given time. It can be hard to social distance here. Definitely worth checking out, but be safe!
If you check out any of these courts, tag us @squadz in your Instagram story to be featured on our account!
