PROMO: DJ Envy Talks Real Flavor of NYC Basketball

DJ Envy Talks Real Flavor of NYC Basketball

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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A seminal moment in DJ Envy's young life was seeing his first live New York Knicks game. Sitting there with his dad in Madison Square Garden, getting to watch his favorite players like Mark Jackson and Patrick Ewing in the flesh, Envy was already hooked. And although he's been a tortured Knicks fan ever since ("Hopefully the Knicks can win a championship before I pass away," he says), it's been well worth it.

But Envy knows what all true basketball fans know, which is that the real games in New York aren't played at the Garden or at the Barclays Center or even in the pros at all. They're played on the city's street courts: West 4th, Gauchos, and, most of all, Rucker Park. "It's go hard or go home at the Rucker," he says. "New York has probably some of the best basketball players in the world, and just to watch them all play at the Rucker is an amazing, amazing thing." That's not to say that the pros themselves don't show up at the Rucker. It's long been a spot where those who've made it to the next level--players like LeBron, Kobe, and Durant--come to prove they can still hang with the best ballers from the street. "These guys are making millions," Envy says, "but they want to play at the Rucker."

This spirit of authentic competition is why BACARDI is so proud to be a sponsor of the Entertainers Basketball Classic league, which will be held this summer at Rucker Park. Starting this month, Bacardi will host "Flavor at the Rucker" on select Thursdays at 6 p.m., giving you fans the chance to live loud and rep your flavor. With post-game parties and packed crowds that include celebrity guests, the BACARDI Flavor at the Rucker events promise to be some unforgettable nights. And it will all culminate in August at EBC's Miami Invitational, where the best ballers from around the country will team up for an unforgettable tournament.

For more on DJ Envy's love of streeball in New York, be sure to check out the video above. And if you're in NYC this summer, be on the lookout for #FlavorAtTheRucker on Thursday nights!

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