Earl Monroe basketball school opens $39.5M facility in Mott Haven

As the first specialized high school of its kind in the country, the Earl Monroe New Renaissance Basketball School operates as a tuition-free, coed public charter with a curriculum completely designed around basketball.

The brand-new, $39.5 million state-of-the-art facility spans 68,000 square feet, featuring 24 fully wired classrooms and 8,000-square-foot gymnasium among other premium school amenities.

White, blue and orange balloons filled the basketball and school atmosphere at the ceremony, as hundreds of students joined New York Knicks legends John Starks, Stephon Marbury, Tim Thomas, Rod Strickland, John Wallace and Mel Davis to celebrate the start of a new era for the school.

Former Knicks players weren’t the only big names in attendance. Actor and comedian Tracy Morgan, a former Bronx resident who attended DeWitt Clinton High School and has maintained philanthropic ties to the borough, was also on hand to experience the momentous day for the school.

Senior Aniesah Gutierrez sang a rendition of “God Bless America” prior to the opening remarks before sports commentator Jared Greenberg was introduced as the event’s emcee.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver was also in attendance and spoke about the significant impact basketball has on the city.

“While this dream started with Dan about 14 years ago or so , I don’t think it’s a coincidence that this building was dedicated shortly after the Knicks won that championship (for the first time) after 53 years,” Silver said.

Silver succeeded the late David Stern, who was the league’s commissioner for 30 years and later became the school’s first-ever trustee before its inception. Along with Stern, school visionary Chairman Emeritus Dan Klores coined the phrase, “A Ball and A Book Can Change The World.”

“When you face a challenge, you’ll get knocked down [but] you gotta come right back,” Klores said. “You don’t quit when the situation gets tough.”

Klores, who came from humble beginnings in Brooklyn and became an award-winning filmmaker as well as the head of a major public relations, explained he was rejected from every college he applied to.

He later twice flunked out of the University of South Carolina before he received his Bachelor’s degree. Klores co-founded the school in 2021 following an effort which took more than a decade.

He described the Earl Monroe New Renaissance Basketball School as a “cathedral of learning” in a school district which has faced literacy challenges and continues to rank among the lowest school districts in the city for reading proficiency as well as one of the most economically challenged school districts in the country.

Klores further spoke about how basketball became his escape and motivation at an early age, as he also mentioned in an exclusive interview with the Bronx Times last month.

The school is named after Earl Monroe, who was known as “The Pearl” throughout his professional basketball career. Monroe, also a school co-founder, spent 13 seasons in the NBA and played a vital role in the Knicks’ second championship victory in 1973.

His No. 15 jersey was retired by the Knicks in 1986 and he was enshrined into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1990. Decades later, Monroe spoke at the very school which was named after him.

“Dan and I have been involved in this [project] since 2012 — and look at what we’ve accomplished in that span of time,” Monroe said with his family in attendance. “It’s a big day for the school, but the most important part of this facility is you guys — the students.”

Now, the new facility will guide current students toward success while it serves as a permanent fixture for future generations.

Building this new space allows students to build the confidence they need to succeed,” junior Jireh Mercedes said. “They also keep consistent contact for two years after high school to stay a part of the process.”

Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson was also on hand to be part of a historic day for the school and the borough.

“The Earl Monroe New Renaissance Basketball School marks an exciting new chapter for aspiring student-athletes, giving them the tools to excel both on the court and in the classroom while exploring different pathways to success beyond the game,” Gibson said.

Following the ceremony, an orange ribbon was cut to mark the official opening of the new Earl Monroe New Renaissance Basketball School facility.

“Our school is built on the belief that ‘A Ball and A Book Can Change the World,’” school executive director Susan Fraleigh said. “Today, as we officially open these doors, we celebrate the realization of that vision and the beginning of an exciting new chapter for our students, our families, and the Bronx community.”