World of Hoops: Photographs that reveal different cultures surrounding basketball courts

Thijs Janssen has quite an obsession with photographing basketball courts. The Dutch designer travels the world and whenever he spots one, he takes a shot – not with a ball, you understand, but with his camera.

Thailand, Ubon Rachtani © Thijs Janssen. All images courtesy of the artist, via Creative Boom submission.

Thailand, Ubon Rachtani © Thijs Janssen. All images courtesy of the artist, via Creative Boom submission.

Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, France, Malaysia, North America, Peru... these are just some of the countries he's been to so far and discovered where the game is played. Always lining up the basket in the centre of his frame, the perspective is the only thing that's consistent; the rest reveals something unique about each place.

"Every court has a different story to tell," Thijs says. "That's whether it’s the placement of its lines, the location where it’s at or the surroundings that it’s in. But they all have one thing in common around the world and that’s a rim. Without the rim, there is no basket, no game… no life."

Founder of SuperBruut, a design studio in Rotterdam, Thijs's World of Hoops project began in 2015 when he was visiting Beijing and photographed his first "bucket". It was a basketball court next door to a petrol station. He adds: "It became an interesting way to navigate through a city, to visit neighbourhoods you wouldn’t typically find yourself in, a fun side project while exploring the world.

"Over time the project grew slowly into a never-ending story of capturing and portraying basketball courts and their cultures from around the world."

China, Ordos © Thijs Janssen

China, Ordos © Thijs Janssen

Comlombia, Villa de Leyva © Thijs Janssen

Comlombia, Villa de Leyva © Thijs Janssen

Malaysia, Kuching © Thijs Janssen

Malaysia, Kuching © Thijs Janssen

Bolivia, LaPaz © Thijs Janssen

Bolivia, LaPaz © Thijs Janssen

Bolivia, LaPaz © Thijs Janssen

Bolivia, LaPaz © Thijs Janssen

Thailand, Bangkok © Thijs Janssen

Thailand, Bangkok © Thijs Janssen

Malaysia, Kuching © Thijs Janssen

Malaysia, Kuching © Thijs Janssen

Vietnam, DaNang © Thijs Janssen

Vietnam, DaNang © Thijs Janssen

Belgium, Antwerp, Kerkstraat © Thijs Janssen

Belgium, Antwerp, Kerkstraat © Thijs Janssen

Colombia, Bogota © Thijs Janssen

Colombia, Bogota © Thijs Janssen

Marocco, Marrakech © Thijs Janssen

Marocco, Marrakech © Thijs Janssen

New York City, Lower Manhattan, Essex St & Hester St © Thijs Janssen

New York City, Lower Manhattan, Essex St & Hester St © Thijs Janssen

Australia, Sydney, Ultimo Community Centre © Thijs Janssen

Australia, Sydney, Ultimo Community Centre © Thijs Janssen

Argentina, Puerto Madryn © Thijs Janssen

Argentina, Puerto Madryn © Thijs Janssen

Comlombia, Cartagena © Thijs Janssen

Comlombia, Cartagena © Thijs Janssen

France, Paris, 50 Boulevard de Grenelle © Thijs Janssen

France, Paris, 50 Boulevard de Grenelle © Thijs Janssen

Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Mall © Thijs Janssen

Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Mall © Thijs Janssen

New York City, Lower Manhattan, Houston Street Playground © Thijs Janssen

New York City, Lower Manhattan, Houston Street Playground © Thijs Janssen

Peru, Cusco © Thijs Janssen

Peru, Cusco © Thijs Janssen

Netherlands, Amsterdam, Museumplein © Thijs Janssen

Netherlands, Amsterdam, Museumplein © Thijs Janssen

Bolivia, Rurrenabaque © Thijs Janssen

Bolivia, Rurrenabaque © Thijs Janssen

Netherlands, Rotterdam, Zuid Mijnsherenplein © Thijs Janssen

Netherlands, Rotterdam, Zuid Mijnsherenplein © Thijs Janssen

Netherlands, Amsterdam, Brouwersgracht © Thijs Janssen

Netherlands, Amsterdam, Brouwersgracht © Thijs Janssen

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