The incredible cinematic history of SF's secret Chinatown basketball court

A memorable scene from the 2006 film "Pursuit of Happyness" starring Will Smith was filmed at a basketball court in San Francisco's Chinatown. A memorable scene from the 2006 film "Pursuit of Happyness" starring Will Smith was filmed at a basketball court in San Francisco's Chinatown. Photo: Sony / Columbia Pictures Photo: Sony / Columbia Pictures Image 1 of / 8 Caption Close The incredible cinematic history of SF's secret Chinatown basketball court 1 / 8 Back to Gallery

Tucked away on a skinny alley in San Francisco's Chinatown, a basketball court perched on the side of a building and surrounded by a chainlink fence provides a memorable view of the city, dropping you in the middle of the skyline.

Most locals don't even know this concrete slab up a flight of stairs off Joyce Alley (between Sacramento and Clay) exists — but they've very likely seen it before.

The court is mainly a playground for kids at the neighboring Cameron House, a nonprofit community center for families in Chinatown. But it was also a filming location for the 1993 Whoopi Goldberg hit "Sister Act 2," the 2014 TV drama "Murder in the First" and most recently the Netflix series "The OA." Also, Muscle Milk shot a commercial here starring Golden State Warriors point guard Steph Curry. And perhaps most famously, the court appears in the 2006 film, "The Pursuit of Happyness."

The emotional drama tells the true story of Chris Gardner (played by Will Smith), a homeless salesman faced with raising his son, Christopher Jr., (played by Smith's real son Jaden Smith) on the streets of San Francisco.

The father and son shoot hoops at the court, young Christopher makes a basket and optimistically squeals, "Hey, Dad! I'm going pro!"

The downtrodden father who has seen his own dreams shattered multiple times shuts down his son's fantasy, telling him to not bother practicing because he'll probably never be good at basketball.

The boy wilts under his dad's harsh words, and Chris decides to change his tune and deliver a more positive message, saying, "Hey, don't ever let someone tell you you can't do something. Not even me. You got a dream. You got to protect it."

It's a memorable moment, and Cody Friesenborg Lee, the Cameron House's associate director, says people often stop by the center wanting to step foot on the court from the movie. Lee says the Cameron House isn't staffed to offer last-minute tours, but can arrange them if you call ahead.

Lee sees the public's interest in the court as an opportunity to tell the amazing story of the center that dates back to 1874, when the organization operated a safe house at 920 Sacramento St. for Chinese women being exploited into slavery and prostitution. The original building burned right after the 1906 earthquake and a new one was finished in 1908. Lee isn't certain when the neighboring space became a play yard but says it definitely was being used for youth sports by the 1940s when the center began offering programs. The lofted court over the play area was added in the 1970s.

"There weren't many places in Chinatown for youth to play, and we had this yard for them," says Lee. "When kids left Chinatown they often faced racism and we gave them a safe place."

Lee says she didn't meet Will Smith when the movie was shot, but staff remember when Lauryn Hill and Whoopi Goldberg were singing "Go with the Flo" with a group of kids for the scene in "Sister Act 2."

"We have a picture of Whoopi Goldberg up here with our executive director," she says.

The Cameron House rents the court to production studios and the income is a way for the nonprofit to fund its programming for children and families.

"People don't even know we're here or what we do," says Lee. "We're in Chinatown on an alley, and our building is unassuming, but the view is great."

That iconic San Francisco view — with skyscrapers growing tall around the Transamerica Building — is exactly why producer Jon Goldberg says the court was chosen as the location for the Muscle Milk commercial filmed with Steph Curry in 2015.

"We wanted to connect Curry with a Bay Area location and there's something about stepping out on that court that's instantly breathtaking but also supremely San Francisco," says Goldberg of Goldberg Nation Productions.

Goldberg and the film crew spent a half-day with Curry at the court, as the star athlete shot baskets up until twilight.

"I don't get starstruck easily because I work with all kinds of celebrities, but it was pretty surreal as somebody who loves Bay Area sports to be on the court with Curry right in the middle of the city," he says.

Amy Graff is an SFGATE digital editor. Email: agraff@sfgate.com