Hoops court that was home to Devin Cannady a symbol of his NBA journey

MISHAWAKA ― For years, the asphalt basketball court west of Hums Elementary School was a stone's throw from Devin Cannady's family home on Colonial Drive.

He spent many days and nights ― even in winter ― shooting hoops there, hoping to one day make it to the NBA.

"I would play at this court," Cannady said in a recent telephone interview from Los Angeles. "With my dad, with friends. I had birthday parties over there."

The former Marian High School and Princeton University long-range shooter also recalls a day in the cold depths of a Michiana winter when he was going to shoot around ― despite the ice and snow.

"There was one day my freshman year in high school when it was a state of emergency across the state of Indiana," Cannady said. "It was freezing wind chill, and we couldn't get to the gym. I remember going over there and shoveling, like in negative temperatures. That exact court."

As of Saturday, "that exact court" will bear Cannady's name. The 2 p.m. ceremony at Heroes Park includes the dedication, a skills session for children, vendors and a meet-and-greet with Cannady. There is no charge and the public is welcome.

How the Mishawaka basketball court dedication came to be

The court dedication idea was born in April 2021 when Mishawaka Mayor Dave Wood called Cannady the day he was suiting up to play his first game after signing a 10-day contract with the National Basketball Association's Orlando Magic.

"We (Wood) have had communication since high school, and he kept me in the loop with what's going on in Mishawaka," Cannady said. Wood explained that the mayor's youth council was designing the park and it was thinking about dedicating the basketball court to Cannady. Wood asked if he knew anything about the court.

"I said 'C'mon, man! Like I grew up across the street,'" Cannady said.

He began to work with the city parks and recreation department's plan for the court. The court became part of the park renovation being designed by the council, and it eventually was renamed Heroes Park.

Wood and Cannady began to secure donations for the court. Cannady said his design input involved the colors of Marian High School, where he starred on the hardcourt and football field from 2012 to 2015. The court also will have his life's motto, "Run Your Own Race," and he expects the court to be the premier public court in the area.

Devin Cannady in the NBA

Cannady said his path to the NBA was one that he had to work for. This year is his fourth year as a pro, and he attributes much of his success to his drive to improve despite the obstacles before him that included injuries and the fact that he was undrafted out of college.

Despite his contract not being guaranteed, he said he is in a good spot. "I think shooting the basketball is at a premium now in the NBA," he said. Cannady is known for his 3-point shooting.

Cannady hopes the dedicated court will inspire others like it did for him.

He said his parents now live in Indianapolis, but he does come back for visits and draws positive vibes from seeing his former schools and the people he grew up with.

Cannady also said he is engaged to be married to Katie Lou Samuelson, a WNBA player with the Los Angeles Sparks.

"I was one of those guys who was constantly overlooked. I worked my tail off on this basketball court where I spent a lot of time dreaming, a lot of time rehearsing, imagining myself playing at the highest level," he said. "I want to get across that anybody, what industry you're in or if it is basketball or sports, is to use the model to run your own race."

Email South Bend Tribune reporter Greg Swiercz at gswiercz@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Devin Cannady basketball court dedication Orlando Magic Marian