This body of work is a photographic exploration of rustic and makeshift basketball hoops and playgrounds found throughout the United States. Each backboard—and the space surrounding it—offers insight into the culture of basketball in different regions. I’m drawn not only to the hoops and courts that I find, but also to the backstories that accompany them.

For many, basketball is more than just a sport—it’s a way of life. The game shapes daily routines and defines a shared sense of community. Playing the sport becomes a necessity, and the hoop and court take on a permanent role in the landscape—just as essential as a clothesline in the yard or a car in the driveway.

I am also interested in collecting stories alongside the photographs that I take and inquire about the hoop’s history—when it was built, who played there, and why certain materials were chosen.

This collection began in the reservations and mountain regions of the Southwest and has since expanded to the rural Midwest and the South and I focus on the homemade and improvised hoops I encounter. I’m fascinated by the craftsmanship behind each one—the handmade quality not only adds to the visual appeal but also speaks to the devotion people have to the game, and their willingness to create a place to play no matter the circumstances.

Over time, as grass, weeds, and sand reclaim the courts, the backboards evolve into quiet relics of their environments.

Each basketball hoop and court is unique, but the game remains the same.