A free basketball camp on the Navajo Nation draws NBA alumni and rising stars
Analyss Benally, a Navajo Nation native and professional basketball player who has built a career overseas, is hosting her annual ABFive Basketball Camp in Shiprock, New Mexico. The two‑day event, which is completely free, has already attracted more than 200 registrations from Native youth eager to learn the game and build confidence.
Adding star power to the camp, former Los Angeles Laker Andre Ingram will serve as a special guest coach. Ingram, who debuted with the Lakers in 2018 after a standout college career at American University, brings NBA experience and a commitment to mentorship that resonates with the camp’s participants.
The camp is more than just drills; it is part of a broader effort to inspire Indigenous youth and show them that their dreams matter. Benally partners with organizations such as Charity Bounce and the Boys & Girls Clubs to extend the program’s reach, while her father, Brian Benally, an assistant girls varsity coach at Bloomfield High School, helps coordinate logistics on the ground.
Beyond the court, Benally’s story includes a notable acting debut in the 2024 Netflix sports drama "Rez Ball," a Hall of Fame induction, and years of competition in European leagues across Romania, Albania, Kosovo and Croatia. Her journey illustrates a pathway that many young Native athletes can aspire to, blending sport, culture and personal growth.
Participants leave the camp not only with improved basketball skills but also with a renewed sense of possibility, knowing that role models like Benally and Ingram have walked similar paths from reservation courts to international stages.