NBA legends celebrate opening of Earl Monroe School's permanent campus in South Bronx

The Earl Monroe New Renaissance Basketball School celebrated a major milestone Thursday with the official dedication of its new permanent campus in the South Bronx. 

Students, educators, NBA legends and community leaders gathered to mark the opening of the five-story, 69,000-square-foot building, which will serve as the long-term home of the specialized high school focused on careers in the business of basketball.

The school first opened five years ago in a rented space. Now, students can take courses focused on fields such as sports analytics, media, law and marketing while exploring a variety of extracurricular opportunities.  

The ceremony featured New York Knicks legend Earl "The Pearl" Monroe, whose name the school bears, along with former Knicks teammate Bill Bradley and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.

Although the school carries his name, Monroe said the focus remains on the students and the opportunities available to them.

"It's about what these kids get from this learning experience," Monroe said.

Founded by media executive Dan Klores, the school was created to give students a pathway into industries connected to basketball, rather than focusing solely on playing the game.

"There are a lot of specialty high schools in New York ... I said, 'Why can't there be a specialty high school for basketball, but not for the playing of the game?' And that was my inspiration," said Klores. 

Student Monica Barros said the different opportunities keep her busy.

"I'm involved in softball, volleyball, student government," Barros said. "There's always something to do to occupy your time, even if it's around basketball."

School leaders said the goal is to prepare students for college, careers and leadership opportunities across a wide range of professions, whether or not they pursue a future on the court.