Exhibition Basketball Game Returns To Juneteenth Festival In Buffalo

If you've spent any time in Buffalo and Western New York, then you've learned pretty quickly that sports mean a lot to the people of the 716. From hockey and lacrosse to football and basketball, Buffalo is a sports city with a food and festival problem, and when you pair a few of those together, then you can get a real sense of what the City of Good Neighbors is all about.

There was a time when basketball was highly incorporated into the annual Juneteenth celebrations. With major basketball stars who spent time in Buffalo, or were from Buffalo, like Moses Malone, Bob McAdoo, Bob Lanier, Cliff Robinson, Christian Laettner, and Randy Smith, having a big basketball game paired with one of the biggest cultural festivals in town made sense.

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The annual Randy Smith basketball tournament during the Juneteenth Festival was one of the major attractions for the weekend. While it has been a while since an organized basketball game has happened during the festival, thanks to some teamwork from the Buffalo Police Department and some local leaders, hoops are back in the tournament.

An Exhibition Basketball Game Helps Juneteenth Jump Off

Featuring some of the best grade school basketball players in Buffalo, an exhibition boys and girls basketball game happened on Friday, June 12, 2026, at the Otis T. Barker, Sr. basketball courts inside the historic Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr Park.

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Andre Lloyd Sr., the Chief of the Buffalo Police Department C District, teamed up with the Juneteenth Committee and Total Package Sports 716 to host the games and give the young people who played some much-needed encouragement and a boost of confidence while helping them hone and showcase their skills on the court.