It is more than a pastime.
It is more than just a sport.
On the reservation, basketball is life.
“On the rez, we say it all the time, basketball is life. It's a way to get you an opportunity.”
Shawn Martinez (Diné) is a testament to the idiom. He’s living proof of what the sport can provide for a young child with basketball dreams that grew up in Window Rock, Arizona on the Navajo Nation.
Now, the Senior Director of Live Presentation for the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury, Martinez values the teams’ 20-year support and partnership of the Native American Basketball Invitational (NABI). Footprint Center will once again host the tournament’s championship game this July.
Founded in 2003, NABI believes the love of basketball is the perfect tool to unite thousands of Indigenous youth and inspire them to continue to develop their talents and skills to pursue higher education and become tomorrow’s leaders.
NABI will host 500 basketball games in Phoenix-area gyms featuring 144 teams of male and female high school athletes representing tribal communities from all over North America, culminating in a championship game at Footprint Center.
The tournament continues to grow too.
Last year, ESPN+ broadcasted the 2022 tournament, becoming the first all-Native American sporting event on a major network.
“It is an eye-opening experience for most kids because coming off the reservation, you don't see much of the city life like we live it every day,” Martinez said.
“NABI is another avenue to keep skills sharp through the summer so athletes are ready for the next season.”
On Tuesday, April 4 during the Suns home contest against the San Antonio Spurs, Martinez deepened the organization’s relationship with Tribal youth basketball when he presented NABI Foundation CEO GinaMarie Scarpa with the new NABI jersey designed by the Suns creative department, Centercourt Creative.
The man behind the new NABI jersey design was Graphic Designer Jaden Guilford who drew inspiration from the Suns’ turquoise ORIGINATIV City Edition uniform that debuted at the start of the 2022-23 season.
“I was honored to be handed the project and know it holds a lot of weight and trying to encapsulate the message of ORIGINATIV in a strong meaningful way that also resonates with NABI, its tournament and the community,” Guilford said.
“Designing the jersey, I wanted it to mimic the Suns City Edition uniform in terms of the colors and the elements, but also giving the NABI uniform its own twist.”
A bespoke NABI wordmark across the chest anchors the jersey’s unique details. Guilford drew inspiration for the typeface from the geometric shapes of the Suns jersey. The pattern that runs along the sides of the NABI jersey mirrors the same design found on the belt of its NBA counterpart. The jersey is also reversible, providing variety and flexibility.
The task to create a new jersey for NABI was no small feat for Guilford.
“It was definitely a challenge – the Suns uniform resonated so well with the Native community – so knowing that and trying to live up to that expectation was a challenge in itself, but by sticking to related elements, the NABI uniform is similar, but not too different and bridges the gap.”
To Martinez, the NABI is an exciting extension of the team’s ORIGINATIV platform launched at the start of this season. The initiative, highlighted by the Suns’ turquoise City Edition uniform, honors the cultures and history of the 22 Tribal Nations of Arizona through community programs and dedicated theme nights.
“It's really cool to see where we've come from since day one. Almost three years in the making and connecting with several Native organizations and Tribal Leaders, this NABI uniform is the next piece of all of these efforts coming together.”
“The turquoise Suns jersey has grown into something bigger than basketball and the fact it’ll live on with NABI is really special.”
To Scarpa, the NABI tournament’s explosive growth over the past two decades is more than she can believe.
“What we thought was going to be this small little tournament in our first year spread like wildfire throughout Indian country.”
As Scarpa says, “NABI is like the March Madness of rez ball.”
Today, while not the oldest, NABI is the largest Native American basketball tournament and is widely considered the best and most prestigious in the community.
“And that has to do with our partners,” Scarpa said. The success of NABI is paying off, too.
“We're now seeing a bigger presence of Native American basketball players everywhere,” said Scarpa.
But while the uniform retires this season, the Suns’ commitment and partnership with Tribal Nations and NABI will continue to inspire the next generation of hoopers further.
Because basketball is life.