Skip to content

L.A. basketball court dedicated to late rapper Nipsey Hussle

@nbcbayarea/Twitter

Tributes to slain Los Angeles-based hip-hop artist Nipsey Hussle continue to take shape in the communities he sought to inspire through his music, entrepreneurial endeavors, and philanthropy.

Community members are set to officially unveil the Nipsey Hussle Memorial Basketball Court on Saturday, April 13 outside Crete Academy charter school in South Los Angeles.

The court features a large mural of Hussle by artist Gustavo Zermano with motifs inspired by the world of marathon running.

Nick Ansom, CEO of the Venice Basketball League, told NBC Bay Area's Jonathan Lloyd and Troy McLaurin that the design is meant to symbolize that "it never stops. That it will keep going. That (Hussle's) legacy lives on."

The 33-year-old musician was shot and killed outside a clothing store he owned in South L.A. on March 31.

Hussle's murder evoked a wide response from the basketball community, including tributes from LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Russell Westbrook, the latter of whom dedicated his historic 20-point, 20-rebound, 21-assist game to the rapper's memory.

"He spoke through his music, but he also spoke through his actions," Ansom added. "You have Nipsey (at midcourt) looking out toward his neighborhood and saying, 'I'm still here with you guys.'"

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox