Artist, NBA player partnering on basketball court murals in Fishers
Artist Koda Witsken and NBA player Gary Harris, both Fishers natives and Hamilton Southeastern High School graduates, are partnering to create two basketball court murals at Brooks School Park. Artist Koda Witsken and professional basketball player Gary Harris are partnering to create two murals on basketball courts at Brooks School Park in Fishers, Indiana. The murals, which will be completed from April 5 to May 1, aim to honor Harris' legacy at Hamilton Southeastern High School and inspire younger players. Witskens, a public artist who splits her time between Indianapolis and Brooklyn, New York, started Hue Murals in 2018. The design concept for the murals includes vibrant colors, cosmic elements and Harris' GH brand symbol. On May 18, Fishers Parks will host a three-on-three basketball tournament for people ages 16 and older and a 3-point shooting competition for people aged 8 and older.
Published : 4 weeks ago by in Sports
A muralist and a professional basketball player are teaming up to bring public art to two basketball courts at Brooks School Park in Fishers.
Artist Koda Witsken and NBA player Gary Harris, both Fishers natives and Hamilton Southeastern High School graduates, are partnering to create two murals on courts at the park at 11780 Brooks School Road.
The design concept for the murals includes vibrant colors, cosmic elements and Harris’ GH brand symbol, according to a news release from the city.
Witsken, who graduated from Hamilton Southeastern in 2011, said she hopes the murals honor Harris’ legacy at Hamilton Southeastern High School and inspire today’s young players. She plans to work on the murals from April 5 through May 1.
Witsken, a studio, digital and public artist who splits her time between Indianapolis and Brooklyn, New York, started Hue Murals in 2018. Some of the places her murals can be found are at the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, Lucas Oil Stadium, Wes Montgomery Park in Indianapolis, Buck Creek Trail in Cumberland, Zionsville’s Village Business District, The Yard at Fishers District and the Bottleworks District in Indianapolis.
“At the intersection of sports, art, and culture, people gather and dreams are made,” Witsken said in written comments. “It’s special to be the person bringing the art to the table, and I thank Gary and his family for partnering with me.”
Harris scored a school record 1,540 career points in four seasons at Hamilton Southeastern. He won the 2012 Indiana Mr. Basketball award and was one of the country’s top high school recruits when he chose to attend Michigan State University.
After two seasons at Michigan State, Harris was drafted with the 19th overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls. In an 11-year career, he has played for the Denver Nuggets (2014 to 2021) and the Orlando Magic (2021 to present). Harris is averaging 7.1 points per game this season for the Magic.
“Given all that basketball has done for me and my family, I felt strongly about returning some of that love to the Fishers community with vibrant, statement-making basketball courts for the next generation of Indiana basketball talent to enjoy,” Harris said in written remarks. “I’m very excited to partner with Koda and the city on this project to make the vision a reality.”
On May 18, to mark the murals’ completion, Fishers Parks will host a three-on-three basketball tournament for people ages 16 and older and a 3-point shooting competition for people ages 8 and older at Brooks School Park. More information on the tourney can be found at FishersParks.com/BrooksSchoolCourts.
Topics: Basketball, NBA