New app 'Off-Season' by MSU students helps find pick-up basketball games near you

DETROIT (FOX 2) - If you’re hoping to play some pick-up basketball soon, just look on your phone.

A new app was created to let hoopers and other athletes know where the nearest game is going down.

"I can’t wait to see everybody on it, everybody having fun," said Jacquese Whitson. "I can’t wait to start throwing tournaments around the city, so everybody can win prizes and come out and compete."

Whitson is excited about the new app he helped create called "The Offseason."

"It’s like a one-stop-shop app that helps people organize, discover, and also connect with other individuals through pick-up games," said Rheyya Hollins.

Hollins and Whitson are a part of the team of masterminds at the Michigan State University Apple Developers' Academy - who designed and built the app for users to either host a pick-up game or find one.

They say the first step is to download the app, register your information, and then a map will pop up.

"On the map, you can see all the different pins on the map, interact with the pins - and each pin will be an icon," Whitson said. "It’ll be a football, basketball, soccer ball, whatever game going on at that area."

And when you click on it, you'll find all the details like who’s hosting the game, who is playing, and how good they are.

"When you create your game, you’re allowed to put the skill level that the game’s going to be," Whitson said. "So it's (like) an advanced skill level, and you can kind of get a glimpse at the people that will be in the game."

They say anyone can host a game or activity including cycling and skateboarding.

"It’s basketball, football, pickleball, tennis, volleyball, even yoga on there," Hollins said.

After developing the app for a year, and after working out all the kinks and bugs, they say it is ready to go - adding that it is very personal to them.

"I was an athlete most of my life and now I’m in the offseason," Whitson said. "I was here in Detroit and I was trying to play a 7-on-7 game and it was kind of hard to get all my cousins and friends to link up and find 20 people to play 7-on-7."

This app helps to simplify organizing and finding a game. It is expected to hit the app store on March 14 and anyone is welcome, including the professionals.

"Oh the Pistons, that’ll be exciting - I know they’ll love it," he said.