Discarded Nets Become Hoops: Giannis foundation, Enaleia upcycle gear; 80 Athens courts benefit

A collaboration between basketball and marine conservation has given discarded fishing equipment a second life on public courts in Athens. The Charles Antetokounmpo Family Foundation (CAFF), established by NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo and his family, partnered with Greek marine-cleanup organisation Enaleia to replace worn-out basketball nets with new ones made from recycled fishing gear. According to reports by Enaleia, B2Green and Dnews in April and May 2026, the initiative was carried out in cooperation with OPANDA, the cultural, sports and youth organisation of the Municipality of Athens. The project focuses on a problem that often goes unnoticed in discussions about marine pollution: discarded fishing equipment. Nets and other fishing materials can remain in the marine environment long after they have stopped serving their original purpose, posing a threat to marine ecosystems and wildlife.The replacement work covered 80 basketball nets that were either damaged or had been removed from outdoor courts. The new nets were produced in Greece using discarded fishing equipment collected through designated port reception facilities. Rather than allowing the material to become anothe...