LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Angel McCoughtry rolled up in a golf cart and hopped out, and everyone wanted to greet her. But she was most eager to see the kids. She used to be like one of the boys playing ball on a parking-lot goal as the brand-new Angel McCoughtry Court at Shively Park was waiting to be christened Friday.

Basketball has taken her all over the world. To Europe as a player. To the top pick in the WNBA Draft. To two Olympic Gold Medals. McCoughtry is from Baltimore but put Louisville on a national stage when she led head coach Jeff Walz’s Cardinals to the NCAA title game in 2009.

McCoughtry has gone on to success on and off the court but she always comes back to Louisville with a smile and a positive message. And Friday, she came back with more.

Through a partnership with adidas, the basketball court at Shively Park has been resurfaced and renovated, a brightly colored oasis bearing her signature on one sideline with the message, "Reach for the stars."

IMAGES | Grand opening of Angel McCoughtry Court in Shively Park

Shively city officials, Walz, Bellarmine women's coach Chancellor Dugan, players from both teams and the public were there to witness the ceremony.

McCoughtry cut the ribbon on the court with a pair of scissors sent down by Donovan Mitchell’s mother. They’d been used on a court in Mitchell’s name, and she wanted them to get more use. To McCoughtry, she sent the message, "I think you’ll be doing a lot of these."

"Reach for the stars, kids," McCoughtry said. "I was like you. Eight years old and started to play basketball. And look."

After the ceremony, with the kids on the court, McCoughtry said, "Look at all the kids. Yeah, it's a little rainy, but they're still out there, you know? And this court is here forever, so the kids can enjoy, and we'll do different things. It doesn't end here. We'll do different things: three-on-three tournaments, camps, clinics, fun stuff for the youth. ... I always wanted to do this. It was always a goal of mine that, you know, we watch the NBA players, like I said, do it all the time. Melo (Anthony) has a court, Donovan. I was like, 'You know what, I want to do one too.' So I asked adidas, and they were like, 'You know what? We're going to do this.' And I'm like, no woman is doing it. So it was really, really awesome. I mean, I know I'm from Baltimore. I know I live in Atlanta. But Louisville is like a second home. I've accomplished a lot of my dreams here. So Louisville had to be the first city."

McCoughtry said she’s hoping the court sends a positive message.

"I never knew that this could happen," she said. "And I hope they see that they can do this. And No. 1, I hope it shows little boys can respect little girls that play sports. That's No. 1. And that, you know, they can go anywhere they want. They really can, you know, just stick to your passion."

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