Frost Playground

Taurean Spears Basketball Courts

This text is part of Parks’ Historical Signs Project and can be found posted within the park.

These basketball courts were named in 2023 for Taurean Spears (1983-2019), who was a pillar of the community and mentored youth in the area.

A Brooklyn native, Spears attended the nearby St. Cecilia School and John Ericsson JHS 126. He later graduated from Boys and Girls High School K455.

Spears was a resident of the Cooper Park Houses and worked as both Youth Council Specialist and Athletic Supervisor in their community center. Through basketball, he taught and provided guidance to neighborhood children, fostering a sense of community.

Spears died of a heart attack on these courts while playing with the youth he guided on May 19th, 2019. A basketball league called E4T- Everything 4 Taurean, was formed to honor his legacy.