CLEVELAND — Over the weekend, the Cleveland Cavaliers unveiled its fourth Brazilian basketball court renovation in Valinhos to pursue the team's goal of inspiring youth and growing the game of basketball. 

What You Need To Know

  • The court, completed in partnership with the power management company Eaton, is set in the second most populous municipality in São Paulo in Parque Monsenhor Bruno Mardini, according to the Cavaliers

  • It's designed by the Brazilian artist Antonio Neto. Neto incorporated what Valinhos is famously known for: its purple fig

  • The Cavalier's goal to encourage and grow the sport of basketball in Brazil started in April 2023

The court, completed in partnership with the power management company Eaton, is set in the second most populous municipality in São Paulo in Parque Monsenhor Bruno Mardini, according to the Cavaliers. It's designed by the Brazilian artist Antonio Neto. Neto incorporated what Valinhos is famously known for: its purple fig. According to the Cavaliers, the municipality's "Figo Festival" welcomes around 300,000 people.

The court is also known to host hundreds of players each week. 

"The Cavaliers are passionate about harnessing the unique power of sport to foster community and youth development,” said Nic Barlage, Cleveland Cavaliers, Rock Entertainment Group and Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse CEO, in a press release. "Our commitment to Brazil and ongoing work to bring Cleveland to the world deepens with every visit and with each court we are able to help transform. We are so grateful to Eaton for their partnership and shared dedication to making a lasting impact."

The Cavalier's goal to encourage and grow the sport of basketball in Brazil started in April 2023. They had renovated the Beco de Nego basketball Court in São Paulo first, then refurbished the two courts at the athletic facility of Clube de Regatas Saldanha de Gama. 

While the newly refurbished court is a product between the Cavaliers and Eaton — which has locations in Northeast Ohio and 160 countries, including Brazil — other goals of the partnership include focusing on youth basketball clinic and STEM programming across Brazil and northeast Ohio, according to the Cavaliers. 

“We are honored to have the opportunity to work alongside the Cavaliers, an organization who cares equally about their legacy on the court as in the community, to deliver this wonderful new court to the Valinhos. This year Eaton Valinhos turns 65-years-old, and we could not think of a better way to celebrate than participating in this special project for the city,” said Antonio Galvão, president, Mobility Group and Corporate, South and Central America. “Sport is a powerful tool for transformation and inclusion, and we are confident that basketball will continue to be a driving force for development for current and future generations in our communities.”

In addition, the Cavaliers donated $10,000 to support Special Olympics Brazil athletes selected to compete in the 2024 Special Olympics Latin America Games in Paraguay this coming October.