The Midwest has actually left some huge sneaker prints in professional basketball history. The NBA originated in part from the National Basketball League of the 1930s and 1940s, that included a number of corporate groups in the Great Lakes area. Two legends, Michael Jordan and LeBron James, won championships in the Midwest. And some of the WNBA’s winningest franchises and greatest players– like Tamika Catchings, Maya Moore, Candace Parker and Elena Delle Donne– have had home courts in the heartland. To see the interesting action in person, make a fast break for any of these remarkable venues.
United Center, Chicago
Michael Jordan transformed the Chicago Bulls into a pro hoops dynasty, leading them to six NBA titles. Though he’s passed the ball to new generations of Bulls, The House That Jordan Built still looms big on the city’s west side– United Center is the largest arena (by physical size) in the U.S. Look for MJ’s statue in the building’ five-story atrium. At games, take pleasure in the remarkable gamer intros originated by the Bulls (lights off, cue Alan Parsons Project music), plus mascot Benny the Bull’s acrobatic dunking and popcorn dumping (on unsuspecting fans).
Less than a mile from the United Center, Kaiser Tiger beer garden feels as huge as a basketball court. And it stays open in winter, thanks to heaters and curling rinks. Catch a shuttle bus to the video game from here.
Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland
Thanks to heroics from superstar LeBron James (an Akron native), the Cleveland Cavaliers won their first NBA champion in 2016, providing the city its only significant sports title since 1964. The existing Cavs are playing their method back to greatness at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in downtown’s energetic Gateway District. The sensational glass-and-steel arena boasts the nation’s biggest high-def scoreboard (aka the Humongotron; it spews fire), and a design that puts 60 percent of seats close to the court in the lower bowl.
Tip-off game night at City Tap, very little more than a full-court heave from the arena. Here’s their stat line: 40-plus beers on tap, about that many television screens, mixed drinks by the pint glass, hamburgers by the half-pound, and crunchy wings in counts of 5, 10 and 20.
Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee
The NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks need to like their new home, Fiserv Forum. After it opened in 2018, the Bucks went on a tear that culminated with the 2021 NBA champion, the group’s very first in 50 years. The arena features a swooping roofing, extensive glass, and sleek, large concourses– look for an oversize buck sculpture (made from leather basketball shreds) on the 200 level.
Fiserv Forum anchors Deer District, a newer area full of locations to eat and drink, such as The MECCA Sports Bar and Grill throughout from the arena. Whatever’s huge here, including the 42-foot HDTV, 128-ounce (domestic) and 60-ounce (craft) beer towers, and 2-liter citrus mules. Even the pretzels are huge, weighing in at 10 ounces.
Wintrust Arena, Chicago
Candace Parker, who matured in the Chicago location, returned house in 2021 to lead the Chicago Sky to their first WNBA title, cheered on by sellout crowds who turned Chi-town into SkyTown. See the team at Wintrust Arena on the city’s near south side and toast their victories throughout the street at Fatpour Tap Works with mixed drinks like the Fatmosa and the South Side Sour.
Little Caesars Arena, Detroit
After a prolonged stint in the residential areas, the Detroit Pistons went back to the city in 2017, intending to regain their early 2000s mojo– they won the 2004 NBA title. PA announcer John Mason accelerates the Midtown crowd at Little Caesars Arena with his imaginative player introductions and signature “Dee-troit Basketball” call. Hooper, a furry horse mascot wearing a Pistons jersey, supplies extra horsepower (the group was established by a business that produced pistons for train and automobile engines).
If you pre-game at Harry’s Detroit down the street, you can park there free of charge and walk to the arena. Harry’s offers beers on tap from local sources such as Eastern Market Brewing Co., plus a Greek salad with a much-hankered-for house-made dressing.
Target Center, Minneapolis
House to the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves and WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx, Target Center provides professional hoops almost year-round. The Wolves had a winning 2021-22 season– one of their best considering that they reached the NBA Western Conference finals in 2004– however still do not have an NBA champion.
Before a video game, fuel up at Graze Provisions and Libations, a food hall in the North Loop (about half a mile from the arena). Sample cuisines from a variety of small businesses (like Soul Bowl and Union Hmong Kitchen) and sip hyper-local beers and craft mixed drinks at the Libation Lounge.
Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis
Long thought about a leading basketball place, Gainbridge Fieldhouse is the downtown home of the NBA’s Indianapolis Pacers and the WNBA’s Indiana Fever. It’s in the final phases of a significant remodelling created to make the arena even more fan-friendly.
Kilroy’s Bar n’ Grill, a brief walk from the arena, is a busy spot before and after video games. Pick from a menu that consists of at least 2 lots Long Island Iced Teas, more than 50 shooters, and their famous stuffed breadsticks (pizza dough filled with cheese and pepperoni).
