New App Connects NYC Basketball Players to Courts

Calling all basketball enthusiasts in New York City! Ever found yourself wandering around, trying to locate an open court or figure out where your friends are playing? Engineer Khayri Cobb has been there, and he’s developed a game-changing solution. Introducing ‘We Got Game,’ a new mobile web app designed to connect pickup players with nearby basketball courts, making it easier than ever to hit the hardwood.

From Engineering to the Basketball Court

Cobb, a third-generation engineer and proud HBCU graduate of Clark Atlanta University, brings a wealth of experience from top tech companies like Al Jazeera America, The Atlantic, Axios, and Remine. His background in AI and machine learning, particularly from his time at Remine, gave him a unique perspective on leveraging technology to solve real-world problems.

The inspiration for ‘We Got Game’ struck Cobb during his time living in New York City, a place he affectionately calls the ‘basketball mecca.’ He experienced firsthand the frustration of trying to find available courts quickly and easily. “When I lived in NYC, I encountered issues with finding courts and wanted to have a quick way of finding courts and sending them to my friends,” Cobb shared with AFROTECH™.

How ‘We Got Game’ Works

Leveraging his engineering expertise and tools like a customized Claude Code, Cobb built the foundation of ‘We Got Game’ in just three weeks. The app aims to connect the estimated 1.5 million active players in NYC with the closest courts. It utilizes a database covering over 250 public courts across all five boroughs: Brooklyn, Bronx, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island.

But it’s more than just a court finder. Users can create basketball profiles, access detailed map grids showing park hours and court availability, and even invite friends directly through social media, SMS, or email. The goal is to minimize the time spent searching and maximize the time spent playing.

Future Plans and Global Ambitions

Looking ahead, Cobb plans to enhance the platform by allowing users to select favorite courts and even track their favorite NBA players. Future updates aim to aggregate feeds on players’ game stats, business ventures, and fashion, solving Cobb’s own frustration with juggling multiple apps for NBA information. “It really was a pain point there,” he admitted.

With over 1,000 sign-ups even before its official launch, ‘We Got Game’ is already showing promising traction. Cobb’s vision extends beyond NYC, with plans to expand to cities like Los Angeles, Chicago, and Philadelphia, ultimately aiming to create a global network for pickup basketball players. It’s all about building communities, one court at a time.