Zelnak Basketball Center

The Zelnak Basketball Center is the practice facility for Georgia Tech’s men’s and women’s basketball teams. It’s not to be confused with McCamish Pavilion, the arena where Tech’s games are played. However, the Zelnak Center and McCamish Pavilion are physically connected. Both the Zelnak Center and McCamish Pavilion are relatively new, each having been constructed within the last five years. The Zelnak Center opened October 2009 and McCamish Pavilion opened November 2012.
I’ve had the opportunity to tour the Zelnak Center a couple times. It’s an impressive, modern, state-​of-​the-​art training facility. I’ve never toured any other NCAA Division I school’s basketball practice facility, so I don’t have anything to compare the Zelnak to. Regardless, it’s really nice. Clean, bright, and shiny. At the time of writing this review, the facility is now five years old, but still looks brand new. It’s been kept in fantastic shape.
The Zelnak Center is located behind McCamish Pavilion. Reported construction costs vary. According to the AJC, it was built for around $ 8.5 million, over half of which was donated by Tech alum Steve Zelnak and his wife Judy. The facility is 20,000 square feet with a 2,000-plus-square-foot weight room. Along with former Yellow Jacket basketball greats, such as Jarrett Jack, returning to campus to use the facility, various NBA players and teams have practiced here when in town. Examples include Chris Paul (who has a connection in the Tech’s Athletic Association), Blake Griffin, and Anthony Davis.
The facility is a great recruiting tool. The place looks terrific. Everywhere you turn, you can’t help but be amazed and proud of Tech’s rich basketball tradition and accomplishments. In the lobby of the Zelnak Center are team photos and the official NCAA trophies from our 1990 (national semifinalist) and 2004 (national runner-​up) teams. The walls are covered in beautiful murals with pictures from Tech’s hoops past, informational exhibits, pictures, and more. It’s almost like a Tech basketball museum. There’s a placard for every notable former Tech player. It’s too bad this place is closed to the general public because I’m sure Tech basketball fans would love to see some of this stuff, especially the trophies from our Final Four runs.
Everything is customized and branded for Tech, from the big couches in the players lounge with the gold GT logo to the individual weights in the weight room. The players lounge contains the NBA jerseys of active Tech alum in the pros such as Thaddeus Young (Minnesota Timberwolves), Derrick Favors (Utah Jazz), Will Bynum (last played for the Detroit Pistons), Jarrett Jack (Brooklyn Nets), Iman Shumpert (New York Knicks), and Anthony Morrow (Oklahoma City Thunder). The Jackets in the NBA are an inspiration to current Tech players and recruits.
There are two practice courts, one old and one new. Access to the new practice court is restricted by a biometric hand scanning device. The new practice court has eight baskets. Along with the practice courts and weight room, the facility also contains a nutrition bar, a 24-​seat video instruction theater, secondary offices for the basketball staff, and the men’s and women’s locker rooms.