An abandoned Toys “R” Us in Brooklyn could soon trade toy aisles for basketballs, paddles and packed courts. Former New York Knicks star Stephon Marbury is working with Wellball to transform the long-empty Flatbush Avenue store into a permanent indoor sports complex. The project would bring several sports under one enormous roof while giving the Coney Island native another connection to his hometown.
Key Takeaways
Former Knicks player Stephon Marbury is transforming an abandoned Toys “R” Us in Brooklyn into a multi-sport complex, featuring pickleball and a basketball-shooting game called Wellball.
- Stephon Marbury, a former NBA player, is spearheading the development of a new indoor sports complex in a vacant Toys “R” Us store in Brooklyn.
- The complex will feature courts for pickleball, flag football, and Wellball, a basketball-based shooting game developed by Omar Wellington.
- Wellball is described as ‘the pickleball of basketball,’ emphasizing shooting accuracy over traditional basketball skills and designed for accessibility across various skill levels.
New life for old store
Plans call for courts dedicated to pickleball and other paddle sports, along with flag football and Wellball, a simplified basketball game centred almost entirely on shooting. The venue is expected to serve as Wellball’s Brooklyn flagship, although no opening date has been announced.
Toys “R” Us closed its U.S. stores in 2018, leaving the large Flatbush Avenue location vacant for years. Turning it into a recreation centre would revive the property while adding a sizeable indoor sports destination to southern Brooklyn.
Marbury’s involvement also makes the location particularly fitting. His ties to Brooklyn run deep, having grown up in Coney Island and attended Abraham Lincoln High School before later playing for the Knicks from 2004 to 2009.
Introducing the ‘pickleball of basketball’
Billed as “the pickleball of basketball,” Wellball replaces traditional games with head-to-head shooting contests. Players shoot over “The Well,” a device attached to the rim that directs the action, with no dribbling or defense involved.
Accuracy therefore matters more than height or speed, while short rounds are designed to keep matches moving and make the sport accessible across different ages, sizes and skill levels. “Everybody wants to shoot,” Marbury said, predicting Wellball could become the “next wave” for people who want to compete while doing something they enjoy.
Former Sacred Heart University Division I player Omar Wellington created the game after becoming a trainer for athletes ranging from young players to NBA professionals, including Rick and Jalen Brunson. Marbury later competed as a captain in Wellball’s VIP league and has become one of its most prominent supporters. Now, “Starbury” is helping bring the concept back to Brooklyn, turning a relic of retail into a new place to play.