By Dan Ninham
The Back 2 School Basketball Jam came to the Twin Cities and was held at the Minneapolis Sports Center on August 17-18. 2024. The youth basketball tournament was directed by DeShawn and Sharmane Joseph, Tulalip Nation members, and co-creators of the Indigenous HOOPS League, a nationwide basketball program for indigenous youth.
WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx player Alissa Pili and her family appeared on Sunday at the tournament. Alissa has shared her voice nationally with her indigenous and Polynesian identities. Alissa’s father, Billy, is Samoan and her mother, Heather, is Inupiat. Alissa’s older brother Brandon is with the NFL’s Miami Dolphins.
Pili was an All American player at the University of Utah this past college season. She was the Pac-12 Player of the Year and a three-time All Pac-12 Team player. She played at USC her first three seasons and then transferred.
Pili won 13 Alaska state championships at Dimond High School: two in basketball, four in volleyball, four in the shot put, two in the discus, and one in wrestling. She set the Class 4A state basketball scoring record and was a three-time Alaska Gatorade Player of the Year. She was also a two-time MaxPreps Female High School Athlete of the Year.
The tournament teams were gathered in the middle of one court as Alissa Pili was introduced by Mikayla Schaaf, Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, Blackfeet, and Wichita. Niigaanigwaneb (Byron Ninham), Red Lake Ojibwe and Oneida, gave an opening prayer in the Ojibwe language. Words and gifts were provided by tournament director DeShawn Joseph. Pili then had an autograph session that a few hundred fans waited patiently in line to spend photo opportunities with her.
Nano Kingbird, Red Lake Nation, is the sixth grade boys’ basketball coach of Team Red Lake. His team participated in this tournament. Team Red Lake is a travel team and they represented countless other coaches, teams, and supporters that travel nationally to play at the highest competition level.
Team Red Lake were able to watch Alissa Pili on her home court this past season. “We also got invited to a couple Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx events at the Target Center, so that was a cool opportunity,” said Coach Kingbird. “Never thought I’d be coaching a team at that venue!”
Team Red Lake were runner-up in their national age group division. They placed first in most of this past summer’s tournaments that were held in Bismarck, ND, Cass Lake, MN, and Red Lake, MN.
“It was pretty cool to see Alissa Pili there with her family,” said Coach Kingbird.” Even after the event, they stayed and watched the rest of the tournament. It was a good opportunity for all the young athletes who look up to her.”
Mike Contreras, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, was one of the officials that worked the weekend tournament.
Mike Contreras said, “I truly believe when kids see someone who looks like them, has the same background and is playing professionally, it lets them know they can truly achieve their own goals with hard work and dedication.”
“I believe everything happens for a reason. There is a reason she was drafted by the Minnesota Lynx. Kids can see her as a real person who cares about her culture and represents it well,” added Contreras.
“The basketball event was such a great experience,” said Alissa Pili. “It was very special to me in particular because they did an amazing job on highlighting my parents and family for everything they’ve done for me along my journey.”
The message was clear that Pili shared with the youth basketball players, coaches and fans. She said, “Advice I would give to the youth is to always be themselves, to work hard and whatever their goals may be, to go all in to commit to those goals. Also to show up every day and be consistent, to always be determined to improve but also never lose the joy in what you love to do.”
“It means a lot to us as a family to see the impact she has on the younger generation, as well as Native America as a whole,” said Heather Pili. “That’s what it’s all about, to use her platform as a means to give others hope for others who come from indigenous backgrounds to have someone to look up to, who gone thru similar struggles, and ultimately made it to the highest level of women’s basketball,” added Heather.
More and more fans will be wearing the Minnesota Lynx #35 jersey in honor of Alissa Pili.
