Dalton Walker
ICT
PHOENIX — Over a cup of coffee, more than two decades ago, the idea for a national Native basketball tournament for high school students was born.
GinaMarie Scarpa remembers those days well. Scarpa, along with Phoenix Suns legend Mark West and friend Scott Podleski worked together to create the Native American Basketball Invitational.
Since 2003, the tournament, known by many as NABI, has taken place in the Phoenix Valley each summer, save for a COVID-19 year in 2020 when most things were shut down, and has brought in thousands of Native athletes and plenty of dollars to the area. It has grown in numbers as well in opportunity. And this year marks 20 years.
NABI is a “big production,” Scarpa said. She is Mexican Indigenous and is the NABI’s president, a position she has held since year two. She said it’s a yearlong undertaking and her focus is partnership development and sponsorship.
“This is our 20th year so it’s a big celebration, of course,” Scarpa told ICT.
“We use rezball and the love of the game for our Indigenous youth to provide a top notch basketball tournament,” she added.
NABI week officially tips off on Tuesday with 144 boys and girls teams starting pool play in several area gyms. Teams come from 120 Native nations.
The invitational still had its regular numbers this year despite a massive sporting event for Indigenous youth taking place in Canada around the same time. The North American Indigenous Games started Saturday and go through July 23 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Including basketball, 16 sports are taking place and the games attract Indigenous athletes from across Canada and many from states in the U.S.
Plus, other organizations have put on successful basketball tournaments all around the country, including one that took place recently in Mesa, Arizona by TRIBE Athletics.
Simply put, Scarpa says the demand for basketball remains.
“At the end of the day, there’s a need and that need is never gonna go away,” she said.
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This year, 428 basketball games are scheduled to take place throughout the week with championship games set for Sunday at Footprint Center, home of the Phoenix Suns and Mercury.
NABI has a new, stylish jersey for this year’s tournament. The jersey is black and turquoise and was designed by the Phoenix Suns creative department. Designer Jaden Guilford drew inspiration from the Suns’ turquoise ORIGINATIV city edition uniform that debuted in the 2022-23 season, according to the Phoenix Suns. The Suns’ city edition theme includes an alternative basketball court setup that matches the Suns jersey. The court is expected to be retired after the NABI championship games.
Also new this year is Indigenous NBA player MarJon Beauchamp’s scheduled appearance to hand out championship game trophies. Beauchamp plays for the Milwaukee Bucks and is Mission Indians and La Jolla Band of Luiseño Indians descent. Beauchamp will also meet with NABI teams privately and offer a photo opportunity.
“Giving these Native athletes their own platform is critical to their success on and off the court,” Beauchamp said in a statement. “I’m looking forward to connecting with them and sharing my own experiences.”
The event is more than basketball, however.
NABI will again have an education branch. It has teamed up this year with the Phoenix Indian Center to host an educational youth summit that includes a college and career fair. NABI has also partnered with the Arizona Science Center for athlete access.
Like past years, the Phoenix Mercury will host its Native American Night during NABI week. The game is scheduled for Thursday and NABI athletes are invited to attend.
Elijah Jacob Tonasket and Cori Wynter Cosay were selected as the 2023 NABI College Scholarship winners. NABI gives $20,000 a year in scholarships and the fund has given more than $350,000 to Native college students since 2003, according to NABI.
Ryneldi Becenti and Chance Rush were announced as this year’s 2023 NABI Phil Homeratha leadership award winners. Becenti is a former WNBA basketball player and basketball coach. Rush, a former college track and field star, is a youth speaker and actor. He has been NABI’s master of ceremonies for years.
Scarpa said the awards, scholarships, educational workshops elevate the NABI experience.
“We just wanted to take it another level and add education components, talk about the importance of education,” she said. “We just felt if we had 13 to 15 hundred athletes here how much more information and how much inspiration we can provide while they are playing the game they love.”
Analyss Benally, Navajo, plays professional basketball overseas. She played high school ball in Kansas and moved to Phoenix after her senior year. Benally, 25, competed in NABI once, the summer before heading off to California to play college ball at San Jose State University.
“NABI was a good experience,” she said. “I remember we didn’t do great, but I was happy to be part of it.”
Last summer, Benally attended NABI again but this time as a keynote speaker. Her message to the youth was that anything is possible. She talked about professional basketball and said she isn’t going to be the last Native to play professional basketball.
Benally also watched some of the basketball talent.
“So much going on out there on the men’s and women’s side, ” she said. “The game has elevated in so many ways, a lot of good girls are playing now, it’s really good to watch.”
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