Zendaya and Tom Holland team up for Oakland school event.

“I hope you guys are having a wonderful day today,” Zendaya told a handful of surprised students in a video shared online. “I just came to say hi to all of you, see your beautiful faces, and have a great time.”

The couple was joined at the event by Elvin Rodriguez of Netflix’s “Hustle” and Sam Diaz from the Harlem Globetrotters.

When asked if she would be playing basketball, Zendaya swiftly declined. 

“I’m not going to play basketball because I haven’t played basketball since I was your age,” the 26-year-old Elle cover star told the tweens in attendance. “I’m not going to do that because I might, you know, twist an ankle.”

But that didn’t stop her from assisting Rodriguez with a layup, while Holland, wearing an Oakland Roots soccer club T-shirt, attempted to learn how to spin a basketball on his finger from Diaz. 

Th Hoopbus, a remodeled yellow school bus, traverses the country to facilitate discussions about race and equality through basketball, while Project Backboard focuses on revitalizing basketball courts with vibrant artwork.

Zendaya documented the event on her Instagram account, showcasing custom shirts by Oaklandish, the East Bay clothing company, and capturing a moment of Holland on the court. 

This wasn’t the first time the couple visited East Bay schools. They dropped by Zendaya’s alma mater, Oakland School for the Arts, last year, and distributed school supplies at Global Family Elementary School in 2019. Zendaya has also made prior appearances at Fruitvale Elementary School, where her mother, Claire Stoermer, once taught.

Zendaya has a little extra time on her hands these days.

MGM Studios recently withdrew Luca Guadagnino’s R-rated drama “Challengers,” in which she stars, from its Venice Film Festival opening night slot and postponed its debut to next April. 

On Thursday, Warner Bros. also announced it has decided to postpone the release of Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune: Part Two,” in which she appears alongside Timothée Chalamet, from November until next year due to the ongoing strikes by actors and screenwriters. SAG-AFTRA has asked its members not to promote studio films during the work stoppage.

But Zendaya told Elle that getting out in public is more challenging now as her popularity has swiftly ramped up.

“After the last Spider-Man and the last season of ‘Euphoria,’ there was a visceral change,” she said. “Parts of my life, I accept, are going to be public. I can’t not be a person and live my life and love the person I love. But also, I do have control over what I choose to share. It’s about protecting the peace and letting things be your own but also not being afraid to exist. You can’t hide. That’s not fun, either. I am navigating it more than ever now.”

Reach Aidin Vaziri: avaziri@sfchronicle.com